Memoirs of a Madman

Gustave Flaubert
I. EsSAY:
Answer the following question in about 300 words.

1. Flaubert exposes the cliched expectations of the reader in the first chapter of "Memoirs of a
Madman". Discuss.

Gustave Flaubert is a famous French novelist. In the first chapter of his book, 'Memoirs
of a Madman', he talks about the stereotype expectations of the reader.
Flaubert says that people often look for commonplace things when they read books. He
adds that he wanted to write an introspective novel with a lot of scepticism in it. Gradually he
started expressing his personal feelings. It was full of mystery and guesses. He tells the readers
not to jump to any conclusions. The language and the picture look unnatural because it is the
work of a madman. The words are heavy with the personal feelings of the narrator.
The narrator says that he does not know why he writes this book or its use. It is foolish
neither
to ask people the reason for their actions or their writings. He thinks his book is
instructive, nor amusing, nor philosophical, nor agricultural, and so on. It does not speak of
anything. It is a book that speaks of a madman in the words of the world itself. It is the book
of a great fool who has been turning around in space for so many centuries without moving an
inch. He does not know what the reader is going to read in his book.
Usually, a reader expects a book to be a novel or a drama with a fixed plan. But
Flaubert's book has nothing to guide the reader. He simply puts on paper whatever enters his
that
head - from laughter to tears and from white to black, everything. He writes about the tears
bottle
are diluted into romantic metaphors. He knows that he will use many pens anda whole
of ink and bore the reader.
It is in this way that Flaubert exposes the cliched expectations of the reader. They are
the reflections of a young madman.
II. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:
Answer the following questions in one or two sentences:

1. What is foolish enough in the narrator's view?

their writings.
In his view, it is foolish to ask people the reason for their actions or

2. Who inspires horror?

It's a madman who inspires horror.

3. Why will the reader choose to be mad?

be able to read the distractions of a
The reader will choose to be mad because he will
poor madman.
4. What does the narrator mean by the world?
"The world" here means everything that may pass through his thoughts and his soul,
his ideas and memories, his dreams, his follies, from laughter to tears and from white to black,
everything.

5. What will happen to the merry folks?

The merry folks will be able to laugh at their own and at the author's expense.

6. What, according to the narrator, would be wrong to see in this book?

It would be wrong to see in this book anything other than the distractions of a poor
madman.

II. PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

Answer the following questions in a paragraph:

1. What Is the subject matter of the proposed book?

The subject matter of the proposed book is the distractions of a poor madman. It is
neither a novel nor a drama with a fixed plan. The book has nothing to guide the reader. He
simply puts on paper whatever enters his head- from laughter to tears and from white to black,
everything. He writes about the tears that are diluted into romantic metaphors. He knows that
he will use many pens and a whole bottle of ink and bore the reader. He also knows that he will
bore the reader and bore himself.

2. How is the narrator going to write the book?

The narrator is going to write the book with mockery and scepticism, from start to
finish. Those who want to laugh at the end can do so at the expense of the author and
themselves. In this book, the reader will see how we have to believe in the order of the universe,
in the moral duties of man and in the ideas of virtue. The narrator would like to write the word
"philanthropy" on his boots, so that all people may read and learn it by heart. This is how he is
going to write the book, the distractions of a poor madman.

Prepared by
Prof. Murukan Babu CR.
Principal, Nirmala College ofArts and Science, Chalakud.
formerly Associate Professor of English. Panampily Memorial Govt. College. Chalakudy.

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