2. In Part 2: Chapter 2 Emma reflects on each of the 4 different beds she has slept on in her life. How does each of these beds represent an important stage in her development as a character?

3. Why does Emma allow herself to be so easily persuaded by Lhereux in Part 3: Chapter 2?

4. Emma goes back and forth between passionate elation at her affair and guilt over betraying Charles in Part 2: Chapter 10. Why do you think she continues her affair with Rodolphe?

5. Compare and contrast Emma's and Charles' initial perceptions of their marriage in Chapter 5.

6. How does Emma sink even deeper in debt in Part 3: Chapter 5?

7. Monsieur Lhereux's character is developed in Part 2: Chapter 5. What clues does a reader get about his character?

8. Describe Emma's conflicting motives in her interactions with Binet, Guillaumin and Rodolphe in Part 3: Chapter 7.

9. In Part 2: Chapter 2, Emma meets Léon. What is it about him that Emma finds attractive?

10. In Chapter 9 the reader begins to see the more superficial side of Emma. What does Emma do in this chapter that reflects her rather tragic and wasteful life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In many ways, Madame Bovary is a critique of the middle-class life, and the constraints, expectations, and disappointments that are a part of it. Compare the world of the Bovarys to a typical American middle class existence. Specifically, address the following issues faced by the typical middle class family today and relate them to themes that Flaubert threads throughout his novel:

- Debt and financial crises

- The increase in depression and the need for therapy

- A search for community through online or virtual meeting places rather than in face-to-face scenarios

Essay Topic 2

Organized religion is critiqued and mocked throughout the novel, particularly by the actions of Monsieur Homais. Do you think Flaubert believes religion is enough to satisfy humanity's need for peace and satisfaction? Specifically comment on the following issues and how Flaubert uses them to critique organized faith:

• Emma's time at the convent.

• The character of Abbé Bournisien.

• The Cathedral at Rouen.

• Emma's funeral rites.