The idea of wealth has been a focal point throughout history for it is many people's primary desire. In Flaubert's Madame Bovary this concept is not only brought up in one or two characters, but rather every character in the book complains of financial problems, dreams of wealth, and seeks it in every way possible. Although these financial concerns may seem to be consistent with society and one's everyday life, Flaubert mentions these problems and dreams of riches more frequently than other books which seek to explore other concepts and perhaps even more than an average person in that time would have thought about money. Money seems to be one of the only things on the character's minds.

The presentation of this concept starts in the first few pages of the book. In this first scene, Charles is presented as a ridiculous fellow before the other students even...