Coming to an End of Storm in June

As I complete the first volume of Suite Francaise, many of the loose strings of 'Storm in June' come together to bring a sense of completion to the novel. This, however, is not done through a series of chapters which make up the falling action and denoument, but instead stuffed into a single chapter: Chapter 31. While Chapter 31, the last of 'Storm in June,' may be only a few pages in length, a lot is accomplished by the author. The lives of the characters, which the reader has been following throughout the novel, are gradually brought to a close in these pages. The atmosphere, which was one of a desperation and a struggle to survive, now changes to an atmosphere of surrendered tranquility that follows the German victory. The fighting and violence of war, as we learn, has seized, but the war still remains at large, effecting each character in a different manner. Most of the characters have managed to survive the war, but an unfortunate few do not. One of these characters who stuck out to me was Charles Langelet.

Charles Langelet managed to survive the horrors of the war, but he was killed while he settled back into his life in Paris. He was not, however, killed by the German enemy, but by a woman he had befriended earlier that day. His death was very odd as he was run over by a car. I found this very random. I also found it odd that the woman, Arlette Corail, who had run him over felt no lingering feeling of sympathy or remorse for taking a life, even after she discovered she had known the man. She was shaken, but "Nevertheless, she remembered that her insurance, licence, pass, were al in order, and she knew someone influential who would fix everything for her. Somewhat reassured..." (188). This self-centered nature, however, is not uncommmon for this novel.

While the characters we have met thus far settle down, a new character is introduced. While this character remains nameless, she ultimately brings a change in atmosphere and mood. A mother of three young children and a wife to a husband captured as a prisoner of war, she must alone bear all the burdens and work on the farm. While we see the other characters finish their battle against the war, this woman's battle remains ongoing. Exhausted, all she wants to do is give up. However, after a long moment of realization, her despair changes to hope and optimism. As a result, so does the tone of the novel. While the reader spent the most part of the novel absorbed in terror and a desperate need for survival, they end the novel with a silent hope for the future; a light at the end of the tunnel.

Do any of the characters come face to face with death?

Throughout the novel many characters are forced to face death in some way. Whether they’re pinning themselves to the ground to avoid enemy planes or fleeing from their homes, death is a common element that gives us an inside look into the reality of life during wartime. The elder Monsieur Pericand’s experience stands out to me the most:

"Then he was certain he could feel death approaching. He made a startled little gesture (as if he was trying to get through a door that was too narrow for him, saying, "No, please, after you") and a look of surprise appeared on his face. "Is this what it is?" he seemed to say. "So this is death, then?" The surprise on his face faded and he looked stern, solemn."  Ch, 23, Pg. 128.

This part of the novel is a reminder of my own mortality. It shows us that wealth and success doesn’t matter because in the end we are all doomed to the same unfortunate fate. In my opinion, coming to terms with the death of others is difficult enough so I can only imagine what it’d be like to have to accept your own. I’m not sure what I’d do if I were in the elder Pericand’s position, however, I would probably be just as oblivious as he was. Generally speaking, death can occur at anytime and at any place. We may not see it coming, but it’ll happen and there’s no real way to be prepared. The best any of us can do is choose to live as much as we can and find our place in the world before we are forced to leave it.

Character

Suite Francaise is a story narrated from the point of view of a revolving set of defined characters. The characters in this novel, up until now, have been presented as multi-dimensional and complex. Nearing the midpoint of Suite Francaise, the characters have more or less been introduced as well as developed to a point where a general assumption of them can be made. And while these characters may seem a general cast of personalities, it is notable that Irene Nemirovsky has, for the most part, used stereotypes to play out and strengthen her theme. The first volume, 'Storm of June,' shadows the lives of five families in particular, some of whom encounter one another throughout the course of the novel.

There is the pious and rich Pericand family of Monsieur Pericand, a wealthy businessman, and his wife, Charlotte. The Pericands, blind to practical matters, initially refuse to listen to warnings from friends that the German's are closing in on Paris. When they finally decide to leave, however, their attitude is one of irritation and annoyance. Filling their cars with expensive paintings, family heirlooms, and china they consider to be "essential items," Charlotte, her five children, and her father-in-law travel to her mother's home out in the country. While introduced as an arrogant, haughty sort, the Pericand family soon spirals towards a realization that their accumulated wealth would give them no more advantage over this war than the next man. Their oldest son is murdered, and the second oldest, Hubert, runs away to join the unpromising French defenses. The reality of war, in time, sets in.

The other main characters include the shockingly pompous Gabriel Corte, a well-known French writer, and his mistress, Florence. Spoiled by wealth, Corte is outraged that the war would dare encroach on his home. He holds a hatred for the war, not because of its inhumanity and destruction, but for the sole reason that it would destroy his career. Similarly egotistical in nature, Charles Langelet, another of the characters in this novel, goes through the war with one concern: to protect his collection of porcelain and art. There is also the banker Monsieur Corbin and his mistress, Arlette, who insists that he drive her out of Paris in his car. With the train stations being mobbed and no other way for his mistress to leave Paris, Corbin has no choice but to take Arlette and her heaps of luggage. This means that Corbin no longer has space for his two loyal employees, Jeanne and Maurice Michaud, who must, as a result, leave Paris on foot. Jeanne and Maurice are the novel's more humble and compassionate characters, a contrast that brings a brief relief from the pompous upper-class attitude that overrules this novel.

Through these variety of odd characterizations, Nemirovsky portrays a mental and emotional side to her characters. While many may find these characters unlikeable, I found them very believable. The way that one often finds themselves reacting in the "wrong" way during a traumatic experience and thinking odd or disconnected thoughts all seemed to be brought to life in this novel. Nemirovsky truly did a wonderful job connecting the reader with the characters of this novel.

Theme: We Cannot Know People Truly Until They Are Put to the Test

Through the novel, "Suite Francaise," Irene Nemirovsky portrays a theme of war, which revolves around the basic idea that the true personality of humanity can be seen in desperate times trauma or disaster. It is during these periods of time that our true colours come out. We see this recurrent theme many times through the actions of the various characters. The novel, tracing the lives men, women, and children as they evacuate Paris during the Nazi invasion of the Second World War, throws the characters of this book into the midst of disaster, danger, and death. Each character, at some point, is faced with something that pushes them past their own limits. We see many examples of this throughout the first part of the book.



The first example of this is Madame Pericand. Madame Pericand, who is first introduced as a generous individual, gets angry at her daughters for sharing chocolate with hungry strangers when she realizes there may be a food shortage. Also, when they are bombed in Chapter 21, Madame Pericand forgets to save her father-in-law in her hurry to save her own life and her children.


Another example of this is Charles Langelet. Langelet, who is introduced as a respected, high-ranking man, devises a plan to steal the petrol of a gullible young couple in Chapter 22. Where this man was once seen as extremely moral and uncapable of steeping to such lows, his true colors now flourish.

As it is, Suite Francaise is skillful in its display of the many faucets of human nature that reveal themselves in times of danger and crisis. The above examples are only a few of the many that compose this novel. While many authors would have chosen a satirical approach to such instances, Nemirovsky, through her writing, shows sympathy towards these natural human responses, regardless of how far they stray from moral values and honorable guidelines. It is this unique manner which defines the lines of the theme of this novel: We cannot know people truly until they are put to the test.

My First Thoughts

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky is a novel that paints a picture of French life during the early 1940's. While only at the quarter-way mark, I find Suite Francaise a difficult novel to review. On one hand, I would like to give the novel high reviews considering the appreciation I hold for the novel because of its historical importance. It provides an intimate look into the German invasion of Paris during the Second World War and is very well written. Creating just the right atmosphere through her work, Nemirovsky connects the reader with the emotions and fear felt by the innocent civilians of France. I, personally, learned a lot in such a short period of time about life in France during the early 1940's.

My appreciation for Suite Francaise also stems from the story behind the compilation of the novel. It is the story of the author and the tale behind how the novel came to be published so many years after her death that seems more compelling to me than the actual plot itself. However, I believe if Nemirovsky had a chance to complete the book to the extent she hoped to, I would think otherwise.

On the other hand, the plot line of this novel is slow and and seems to crawl along sluggishly. When I first began to read the book, I had trouble reading it more than a chapter or two at a time. While it was written with great style and beauty, it did not grab my attention or engross me in a way that kept me reading. I soon learned that each chapter was an episode into the lives of certain characters, who fluctuated from chapter to chapter. While many of these episodes were interesting and amusing, there was no push to keep on reading.

However, only 100 pages in, it is possible the coming chapters of the novel may change this.

How is the character like anyone you know or even like you?

Hubert, the second eldest of the Pericand family, reminds me of myself. This is because I can identify with his need to leave his family and go his own way. In my opinion, I think it’s normal to feel confined the way Hubert does in the story. We are born, raised and expected to grow up, but when we try to stand as individuals we’re told that we’re children, “barely seventeen, and [our] duty is to save [ourselves] for the future.” As anxious as I am about becoming more independent and dealing with even more responsibilities, I am eager to gain freedom after being tethered to my parents and siblings for years as well. I don’t know if I’d ever attempt to join the army like Hubert, however, I strongly admire his determination and longing to bring about change.

I hope that by the end of the novel Hubert realizes that it is possible to become great, but it may not happen in a day. I also hope that Hubert understands that his failure to become a second rate version of Philippe will allow him to become a first rate version of himself.

Introductory Post

Author: Irene Nemirovsky

Publisher: Gallimard Jeunesse

Copyright Date: 31 October 2004

Number of Pages: 367 (plus Appendices: 419)

Synopsis: Suite Francaise is a historical fiction divided into two volumes. The first, Storm in June, follows the lives of Parisians scramble out of France upon hearing of the advance of the German army. In particular, the author depicts the journeys of five families. The second, Dolce, illustrates life in the small town of Bussy in the first peaceful months following the beginning of German occupation. Unfortunately, Nemirovsky was unable to complete the remaining three volumes of the Suite Francaise as she was arrested and detained at Pithiviers and Auschwitz.

Link to Book Review: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/books/review/09gray.html