
The violence, cruelty with their graphic descriptions provoke physical reaction on the reader. Contrast of lives of the classes through the descriptive visions of houses of the aristocracy, “The kitchen was huge, and judging by its extreme cleaningness and the great battery of dishes, saucepans and utensils with which it was filled, (…)”. George’s allowed themselves to spoil their only daughter Cecile who in the age of 18 still needn’t to work living of their parent’s inheritance, waiting to find the right, rich husband for her. On the other hand, Zola describes Maheu’s family house where everyone bathed in one room in front of the fire place to keep worm, where the whole family was used to each others nudity and had to bear in mind heavy burden of the circumstances.
Zola describes the state as a violent tool of oppression of working class, “Iron fist inside the velvet glove”. Implying Hegel’s philosophy, who sees beyond the material objects and looks out for inevitable change, workers uprising had to become an effect of cruel and violent nature of the state in XVIII century France.
Inspiration:
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III Lecture 2
Germinal, Emile Zola