French Stories Setting & Symbolism

French Stories Objects/Places

Siriusappears in Micromegas

Sirius is the Micromegas' home planet. Everything is much larger and more complex than on Earth.

Saint-Sulpiceappears in The Mass of the Atheist

Saint-Sulpice is the church Desplein secretly attends.

The Poor Boy's Toyappears in The Spleen of Paris--The Poor Boy's Toy

The poor boy's toy is a live rat in a box. The rich boy, who looks at it through the gate, is not yet corrupted by society and is able to enjoy it as much as the poor boy.

The Minuetappears in The Minuet

The old couple the narrator meets perform a minuet for him. It hearkens back to France's royal history and greatly disturbs the narrator.

Judas' Treeappears in The Death of Judas

Judas' Tree has many branches which extend in every imaginable direction. It represents a highly subjective, ambiguous worldview in which all beliefs are equally valid.

Christ's Crossappears in The Death of Judas

Christ's Cross is composed of two perpendicular beams and represents a worldview which acknowledges right and wrong in black-and-white terms.

The Father's Houseappears in The Return of the Prodigal Son

The Father's House represents the Catholic Church and one of the central questions of the story...
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