The Red and the Black â€� Reader Q&A

Questions About The Red and the Black

by Stendhal

Reader Q&A

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Answered Questions (3)

I'm on page 105 of 614... and I am bored as f*ck. Why is this good anyway?

Alan Lindsay This book is a classic for good reason. But if you are not familiar with the state of France in the early days after Napoleon, then you're probably miâ€¦m´Ç°ù±ðThis book is a classic for good reason. But if you are not familiar with the state of France in the early days after Napoleon, then you're probably missing most of the subtext. The "plot" of any really good novel is not likely to be particularly entertaining. The development and exploration of ideas is. To understand what ideas the book is embroiled in, you may wan to spend some time reading about the book. The title gives you a start: the red (soldier, politics, the world) and the black (religion, priesthood, forsaking of the world). But even that is superficial. Rene Girard offers an interpretation of the book in Deceit, Desire and the Novel that places the interests in the realm of what he calls Mimetic Desire. Follow the path of the theme not the dull movement of Julien's love interest and you'll see why this novel deserves its reputation. If you're not yet ready to do that, put it aside and come back to it later.(less)

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Is this book a classic?

JesÃºs De la Jara Of course. But in XIX siecle it was not, but now everyone thinks Stendhal is as important like Flaubert or Balzac. I think is greaer

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Is there an easy way to figure French history and this book's treatment of it: did it really happen as stated? Is Stendhal a fan of Napoleon?

Onur AkÃ§a Mike Duncan's Revolutions podcast is an easy and fun way to get into French Revolution and its aftermath.â€¦m´Ç°ù±ðMike Duncan's Revolutions podcast is an easy and fun way to get into French Revolution and its aftermath.(less)

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