The Flood

Description

The Flood is a novel by Émile Zola that discusses the subject of the weakness of mankind in front of the gigantic and often devastating forces of nature.

The story revolves around a French family living on a farm destroyed by a flood. The perspective through which the reader sees the events is that of the 70-year-old father, Louis Roubien and the characters involved in the accident are his children, grandchildren and their families. The first pages present Roubien and his quiet, blissful life amidst his loving family – happiness that soon becomes discontinued when the Garonne River floods and devastates his farm and his home.

Zola is the father of naturalism, so the reader can expect the most vivid descriptions of how the water advances and how helpless people are trying to flee from the disaster. The flood has moral and religious implications as well – Roubien frequently contemplates the reason for the catastrophe, asking himself whether the flood is the punishment for his contented life. According to the novel, the answer is no, neither Roubien himself, nor the members of his family are guilty of sins such as greed or sloth. They are simply the victims of the incalculable outburst of nature’s power. The point of view he adopts is as objective as can be – in the end, he sees the events more in scientific terms than in terms of his own emotions.

The Flood is not only an intensely philosophical novel, but also one packed full with thrilling events that will keep readers at the edge of their seats. Compared to other works by Zola, The Flood is relatively short, but in terms of style and brilliance it matches Zola’s most important and most popular novels – if you are in search of a true naturalist masterpiece, this book will certainly give you what you are looking for.
[amz_corss_sell asin=”1775426939″]