Who is Gustave Flaubert, and why is he so important to the narrator?

Gustave Flaubert is the 19th-century French author whose life and works are the obsessive focus of Geoffrey Braithwaite. Braithwaite is deeply fascinated by Flaubert's meticulous writing process, his personal struggles, and the details of his existence, seeing Flaubert as a kindred spirit in his pursuit of truth and beauty, albeit one who achieved artistic greatness where Braithwaite feels he did not.

What is the significance of the multiple parrots Braithwaite encounters?

The multiple parrots Braithwaite encounters—one in Rouen, another in the Flaubert museum, and a third mentioned in various accounts—symbolize the fragmented and often contradictory nature of historical evidence. Each parrot represents a different version of 'truth,' forcing the reader and Braithwaite to confront the impossibility of definitively knowing the past, especially when relying on subjective accounts and material relics.

How does the novel explore the relationship between biography and fiction?

The novel constantly blurs the lines between biography and fiction by presenting Flaubert's life through various lenses: chronological, thematic, and even speculative. Braithwaite compiles multiple 'dictionaries' of Flaubert's life, each offering a different interpretation of the facts, suggesting that all biography is, in essence, a form of narrative construction, akin to fiction.

What role does Braithwaite's deceased wife, Ellen, play in the narrative?

Ellen, Braithwaite's late wife, is a posthumous character whose life and death deeply impact Braithwaite's perspective and emotional state. Her eventual suicide, revealed gradually and painfully, provides a profound personal context for Braithwaite's intellectual obsessions, suggesting that his meticulous study of Flaubert is also a way of grappling with his own grief and unresolved questions about Ellen's inner life.

What is the significance of the three chronological biographies of Flaubert presented by Braithwaite?

Braithwaite presents three different chronological biographies of Flaubert: one 'optimistic,' one 'pessimistic,' and one 'neutral.' These varying accounts highlight the subjective nature of historical interpretation and how a biographer's own biases and emotional state can shape their understanding and presentation of a subject's life, echoing Braithwaite's own struggles with his past.

How do the recurring motifs of railways, bears, and redcurrant jam connect to the novel's themes?

These seemingly disparate motifs serve as examples of the arbitrary and sometimes humorous details that accumulate in a life, both Flaubert's and Braithwaite's. Railways represent progress and travel but also the relentless passage of time; bears symbolize the unexpected or the primal; and redcurrant jam, a mundane detail, underscores the contrast between grand artistic pursuits and the everyday realities of existence. Together, they demonstrate how seemingly minor details can gain symbolic weight in a narrative.

What is the 'Dictionary of Accepted Ideas' and how does it relate to Flaubert?

The 'Dictionary of Accepted Ideas' is a real project Flaubert undertook, collecting clichés and platitudes of his time. Braithwaite frequently references it, using it as a lens through which to critique the superficiality and intellectual laziness he observes in society and even in some Flaubert scholarship. It underscores Flaubert's, and by extension Braithwaite's, disdain for intellectual conformity.

How does Braithwaite's personality influence his approach to Flaubert's life?

Braithwaite's personality is characterized by meticulousness, a dry wit, and a deep-seated melancholy. His obsessive quest for factual accuracy about Flaubert reflects his own need for order and understanding in a life that has been marked by personal tragedy (Ellen's suicide). His scholarly detachment often masks profound personal grief and a yearning for meaning.

What psychological need does Braithwaite's obsession with Flaubert fulfill?

Braithwaite's obsession with Flaubert fulfills a complex psychological need for control, meaning, and a distraction from personal pain. By immersing himself in Flaubert's life and work, he can intellectualize his own struggles with grief, loss, and the uncertainties of existence, finding a sense of purpose and connection in the literary world that he struggles to find in his own life.

How does Braithwaite's experience as a doctor inform his narrative perspective?

Braithwaite's background as a doctor lends him a keen eye for detail, a diagnostic approach to historical evidence, and a certain clinical detachment, even when discussing deeply personal matters. He approaches Flaubert's life as a case study, meticulously examining symptoms (facts) to understand the underlying condition (the man himself), though he ultimately acknowledges the limitations of such an approach.

In what ways does Braithwaite project his own experiences and feelings onto Flaubert?

Braithwaite frequently projects his own experiences of disappointment, loneliness, and the pursuit of elusive truths onto Flaubert. He identifies with Flaubert's struggles with love (especially with Louise Colet), his artistic frustrations, and his meticulous, sometimes solitary, dedication to a craft, seeing reflections of his own unfulfilled life and intellectual rigor in the celebrated author.

Is the novel primarily a biography of Flaubert or a character study of Braithwaite?

While rich in Flaubertiana, the novel is ultimately more of a character study of Braithwaite. Flaubert serves as the lens through which Braithwaite's own anxieties, grief, intellectual obsessions, and personal history are revealed. The reader learns as much about the narrator's inner world and his struggles with life and loss as they do about the French author.

What is the novel's stance on the possibility of knowing historical truth?

The novel suggests that definitive historical truth is ultimately unattainable, a perpetually elusive goal. Through the multiple parrots, contradictory biographical accounts, and Braithwaite's own subjective interpretations, the book argues that history is always mediated, fragmented, and open to revision, constantly shaped by the perspective of the observer.

How does the ending, with the discovery of Ellen's hidden poems, impact the reader's understanding of Braithwaite?

The discovery of Ellen's hidden, passionate poems in her diary profoundly recontextualizes Braithwaite's entire narrative. It reveals a hidden depth and private world in his wife that he never fully comprehended, highlighting his own limitations in understanding those closest to him, even as he meticulously tried to understand Flaubert. It underscores themes of unknowability and the secrets people keep.

What is the significance of the book's metafictional elements, such as Braithwaite addressing the reader directly?

The metafictional elements, including Braithwaite's direct addresses to the reader and his self-conscious commentary on the act of writing and biography, serve to highlight the constructed nature of the narrative itself. They invite the reader to actively participate in the interpretive process, reminding them that they are engaging with a crafted text, not an objective historical account.

Could the entire narrative, including Braithwaite's quest, be seen as a metaphor for dealing with grief?

Yes, the entire narrative can be powerfully interpreted as a metaphor for Braithwaite's process of dealing with profound grief and loss after Ellen's suicide. His obsessive focus on Flaubert, the meticulous collection of facts, and the intellectual pursuit of truth serve as a coping mechanism, a way to channel his emotional turmoil into an ordered, scholarly endeavor, even if the underlying pain remains.

Archivist's Choice

Flaubert's Parrot

Name: Flaubert's Parrot
Availability: InStock
Rating: 3.66 (12482 reviews)
ISBN: 9781409088523

Julian Barnes (2010)

Genre

Literary Fiction / Historical Fiction

Reading Time

240 min

Key Themes

See below

Track Your Reading

A retired English doctor embarks on a whimsical, obsessive quest to uncover the true parrot that inspired Flaubert, unraveling his own life's mysteries amidst a labyrinth of literary detective work and personal reflection.

Synopsis

Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired English doctor and Flaubert scholar, begins a quest to find the "real" Gustave Flaubert. His journey takes him to Rouen and Croisset, places Flaubert lived, as he looks through biographies, letters, and historical records. Braithwaite becomes focused on a small detail: which of two stuffed parrots, both said to be Flaubert's, is the one that inspired a passage in *Un Coeur simple*? This academic pursuit provides a structure for Braithwaite to explore Flaubert's life, his relationships with women like Louise Colet and George Sand, his money problems, and the nature of biography. As Braithwaite learns more about Flaubert's life, his own grief and secrets appear. He deals with the recent death of his wife, Ellen, and how it changed his view of memory, history, and truth. The parrot mystery, Flaubert's animals, and even a sea-lion become ways for Braithwaite to understand loss and how subjective reality is. Finally, Braithwaite admits Ellen's suicide, showing his deep sorrow and how his Flaubert obsession connects with his personal tragedy, leading him to accept grief and Flaubert's elusive legacy.

Reading time

240 min

Difficulty

Medium

Pacing

Moderate

Mood

Witty, Melancholy, Scholarly, Reflective, Ironic

✓ Read this if...

You enjoy literary fiction that blurs the line between biography and memoir, with a strong focus on the creative process, grief, and the subjectivity of history.

✗ Skip this if...

You prefer straightforward narratives or are looking for a fast-paced plot-driven story.

Plot Summary

The Quest Begins: Rouen and Croisset

The story begins with Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired English doctor, in Rouen, France, on a trip for Gustave Flaubert. He first wants to find a specific stuffed parrot that Flaubert kept on his desk while writing 'Un Coeur Simple'. Braithwaite visits various Flaubert museums, including Flaubert's former home in Croisset. He finds two different stuffed parrots, both said to be the real one, which immediately introduces the main idea of uncertainty and how hard it is to find historical truth. This initial confusion sets the tone for Braithwaite's careful, often frustrating, look into Flaubert's life and legacy, showing the difficulties of historical reconstruction.

The Chronologies of Flaubert

Braithwaite uses an unusual biographical approach, presenting three different timelines of Flaubert's life. The first is a standard, factual account of dates and events. The second is a romantic, idealized version, showing Flaubert as a tragic hero. The third is a cynical, critical portrayal, highlighting Flaubert's flaws and failures. These conflicting stories show that it is impossible to find one 'truth' about a historical figure. Braithwaite uses this to explore how biographers project their own biases onto their subjects, questioning the possibility of objective historical understanding and showing how identity is subjectively built.

Flaubert's Menagerie: Bears and Lions

The narrator explores Flaubert's interest in animals, especially his metaphorical 'bear' – a symbol of his solitary, difficult writing process and his struggles with art. Braithwaite tells stories and quotes from Flaubert's letters, where the author often calls himself a bear, isolated and working hard. This section also mentions other animals in Flaubert's life and work, such as the lion he saw at the Jardin des Plantes, which influenced his writing. These animal metaphors humanize Flaubert, showing his inner conflicts and the immense effort he put into his craft, portraying him as both a worker and an artist.

The Women in Flaubert's Life: Louise Colet and George Sand

Braithwaite focuses on the two most important women in Flaubert's life: Louise Colet, his passionate mistress, and George Sand, his intellectual friend and fellow writer. He explores the different natures of these relationships – Colet representing romantic involvement and artistic debate, Sand representing deep friendship and mutual respect. Through parts of their letters, Braithwaite shows the intellectual and emotional currents that shaped Flaubert's personal life and indirectly influenced his work. This exploration shows Flaubert's complex feelings about women, love, and the demands of an artist's life, showing how these relationships both inspired and challenged him.

Flaubert's Financial Troubles and the Franco-Prussian War

Braithwaite recounts Flaubert's significant money problems, especially the bad investments made by his niece's husband, which left the author deeply in debt in his later years. This personal hardship is set against the larger historical background of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), which deeply affected Flaubert, bringing conflict and occupation to his home in Croisset. The war's destruction and his money troubles contributed to Flaubert's growing disappointment and despair, influencing the tone and themes of his later works. This section emphasizes how personal tragedy and historical events shape an artist's life and views.

Braithwaite's Own Grief: Ellen

As Braithwaite learns more about Flaubert's life, his own grief slowly appears. He makes more frequent, but at first indirect, references to his deceased wife, Ellen. These hints suggest a deep personal sorrow that supports his obsessive pursuit of Flaubert. The reader starts to understand that Braithwaite's scholarly detachment is a coping mechanism, a way to channel his grief and find meaning in another's life story. This gradual revelation of his emotional vulnerability changes the story's focus, showing the narrator's own reasons and the parallel themes of loss and the search for understanding.

The Mystery of the Parrot Revisited

Braithwaite returns to the main puzzle of the stuffed parrot, thinking about what it means. He considers the two parrots he saw earlier and how impossible it is to find the 'real' one. This leads him to broader thoughts on authenticity, the value of relics, and the human desire to connect with the past through objects. He questions whether the physical object truly matters, or if its symbolic power and the stories connected to it are more important. This section reinforces the idea that historical truth is often subjective and created, rather than a single, verifiable fact.

The Sea-Lion and the Train Journey

Braithwaite tells a strange, seemingly unrelated story about a sea-lion that escaped from a zoo and was eventually caught on a train. This whimsical story is a metaphorical break, reflecting on the unexpected, the absurd, and life's unpredictable nature. It also touches on themes of confinement and freedom, and how different things can connect in surprising ways. While seemingly unrelated to Flaubert, the story offers a moment of lightness and further shows Braithwaite's associative and unconventional storytelling style, allowing him to explore broader philosophical questions about existence and meaning.

Braithwaite's Confession: Ellen's Suicide

In a personal confession, Braithwaite finally reveals the full extent of his grief: his wife, Ellen, committed suicide. This devastating truth explains the sorrow that has filled his story and his intense focus on Flaubert's life and struggles. His search for understanding in Flaubert's biography becomes a parallel search for understanding his own loss and the inexplicable nature of human suffering. This revelation changes how the reader sees Braithwaite, shifting him from a detached scholar to a deeply wounded person dealing with profound personal tragedy.

The Nature of Grief and Memory

After Ellen's suicide is revealed, Braithwaite thinks deeply about grief, memory, and loss. He deals with the pain of remembering and the impossibility of truly forgetting. He discusses how memory can be unreliable, fragmented, and often shaped by desire or trauma. His thoughts on memory extend to Flaubert, considering how the author shaped his own past and how biographers filter and interpret the lives they study. This section emphasizes the book's main theme of the subjective creation of reality, both personal and historical, and the lasting power of sorrow.

Flaubert's Legacy and Braithwaite's Acceptance

Braithwaite ends his exploration by thinking about Flaubert's lasting literary legacy and what he has learned from his study. He acknowledges the complexity and contradictions of Flaubert's character, accepting that a complete, definitive understanding is impossible. Through his obsessive focus on Flaubert, Braithwaite has, in a way, processed his own grief and come to terms with life's and death's ambiguities. He finds a quiet acceptance, not necessarily of closure, but of the ongoing nature of both historical inquiry and personal suffering. The journey, rather than a definitive answer, has given him a way to understand.

Principal Figures

Geoffrey Braithwaite

The Protagonist

Braithwaite's journey begins as an academic quest but slowly transforms into a personal exploration of grief and memory, culminating in the revelation of his wife's suicide and a measure of acceptance.

Gustave Flaubert

The Central Subject/Historical Figure

As a historical figure, Flaubert's 'arc' is presented through various interpretations, from his early literary aspirations to his later disillusionment and financial ruin, highlighting the subjective nature of biographical construction.

Ellen

The Supporting/Mentioned

Ellen's story is revealed retrospectively, her death serving as the catalyst for Braithwaite's introspective journey and eventual, partial acceptance of his grief.

Louise Colet

The Supporting

Her story is presented historically, showcasing her role in Flaubert's life and the turbulent nature of their affair.

George Sand

The Supporting

Her role is presented historically, emphasizing her supportive and intellectual friendship with Flaubert.

Caroline Commanville

The Supporting/Mentioned

Her story contributes to the tragic elements of Flaubert's later life, highlighting his personal sacrifices.

Jules Duplan

The Mentioned

A static, historical figure who provides context for Flaubert's life.

Maxime Du Camp

The Mentioned

A static, historical figure, serving as a point of reference for Flaubert's early life and travels.

Themes & Insights

The Elusiveness of Truth and History

The novel constantly questions whether objective truth is possible, especially in historical and biographical contexts. Braithwaite finds conflicting accounts of Flaubert's life, from the two identical parrots both claiming to be real to the three different timelines he presents. This theme is central to his struggle to truly 'know' Flaubert, suggesting that history is always an interpretation, a story built from fragmented evidence and personal biases. The past is not fixed but changes, shaped by those who tell it, making a definitive understanding always out of reach.

“History is a commentary on the past, not the past itself.”

Grief, Memory, and Obsession

At its heart, the book is a deep exploration of grief and how people cope with loss. Braithwaite's careful, almost obsessive, study of Flaubert's life is shown to be a way to deal with his own devastating sorrow over his wife Ellen's suicide. His scholarly pursuit becomes a form of therapy, a way to channel his pain and find meaning in another's struggles. The novel explores how unreliable and selective memory can be, both personal and collective, highlighting how grief can distort or enhance recollections, and how the past, both Flaubert's and his own, is constantly reshaped by the present.

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there. But the present is even more foreign; we do things differently here.”

The Nature of Biography and Authorship

Barnes uses Braithwaite's story to critique and take apart the conventions of biography. By presenting multiple, contradictory versions of Flaubert's life and constantly adding his own subjective opinions and personal stories, Braithwaite challenges the idea of a definitive, authoritative life story. The novel explores the biases of biographers, how they select evidence, and how an author's own life shapes their interpretation of another's. It emphasizes that a biography reflects the biographer as much as the subject, blurring the lines between objective reporting and creative storytelling.

“A biographer is a novelist under oath.”

Art, Life, and Suffering

The novel explores the relationship between an artist's life and their work, especially through Flaubert's dedication to his craft. Flaubert's artistic struggles, his money problems, and his personal relationships are all part of his creative output. Braithwaite wonders if suffering is necessary for great art, drawing parallels between Flaubert's 'bear-like' work and his own emotional pain. The book suggests that pursuing art is often a solitary, difficult journey, deeply connected to personal sacrifice and dealing with life's difficulties. Art is not separate from life, but deeply embedded in its joys and sorrows.

“The artist is a monster. He is not human.”

Plot Devices & Literary Techniques

Unreliable Narrator

Geoffrey Braithwaite's personal grief subtly influences his recounting of Flaubert's life.

Braithwaite, while presenting himself as a scholarly and objective observer, gradually reveals himself to be an unreliable narrator. His obsessive focus on Flaubert is a coping mechanism for his own profound grief, and his interpretations of Flaubert's life are inevitably colored by his personal experiences and sorrows. This unreliability is not deceitful but deeply human, as his subjective lens shapes the 'facts' he presents, making the reader question the possibility of true objectivity in any biographical account. His personal story slowly bleeds into his scholarly one, demonstrating how individual experience always filters perception.

Intertextuality and Metafiction

The novel frequently references other texts and comments on its own narrative construction.

The book is rich in intertextuality, constantly referencing Flaubert's works, letters, and various biographical accounts. It also employs metafiction by openly discussing the process of writing a biography and the challenges of historical reconstruction. Braithwaite frequently comments on his own narrative choices, the limitations of his sources, and the inherent subjectivity of his project. This device blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction, highlighting the constructed nature of all narratives and inviting the reader to critically engage with the act of storytelling itself, both within the novel and beyond.

Symbolism (The Parrot)

The stuffed parrot represents the elusive nature of truth and the human desire for tangible connection to the past.

The stuffed parrot is the central and most potent symbol in the novel. Initially, it represents Braithwaite's quest for an authentic historical artifact and a definitive truth about Flaubert. However, the existence of multiple 'authentic' parrots quickly transforms it into a symbol of the elusiveness of truth, the subjective nature of history, and the futility of seeking single, verifiable facts. It also embodies the human desire to connect with the past through relics, even as those relics prove to be ambiguous. The parrot, both real and imagined, becomes a metaphor for the constructed nature of memory and identity.

Non-Linear Narrative and Disjointed Structure

The story jumps between Flaubert's life, Braithwaite's reflections, and seemingly tangential anecdotes.

The novel employs a highly fragmented and non-linear structure, eschewing a conventional chronological narrative. Braithwaite jumps between detailed accounts of Flaubert's life, personal anecdotes, philosophical digressions, lists, and even fictionalized scenarios. This disjointedness mirrors the fragmented nature of memory and historical evidence. It also reflects Braithwaite's own associative thought process, driven by grief and obsession rather than strict academic rigor. The structure reinforces the idea that life and history are not neat, linear progressions but complex, interconnected webs of events and interpretations.

Critical analysis

Notable Quotes

“Books speak to us, not like people, but like the dead.”

— Geoffrey Braithwaite reflecting on the nature of literary engagement.

“How can you tell the difference between a real parrot and a stuffed parrot? For that matter, how can you tell the difference between a real love and a stuffed love?”

— Braithwaite's central conundrum regarding the two parrots and the nature of authenticity.

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”

— A direct quote from L.P. Hartley's 'The Go-Between,' used by Braithwaite to discuss historical understanding.

“History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation.”

— Braithwaite's philosophical musing on the elusive nature of historical truth.

“What is the good of reading if you don't even try to understand what the author means?”

— Braithwaite's frustration with superficial engagement with literature.

“Perhaps the only way to make sense of life is to tell a story about it.”

— A reflection on narrative and its role in human understanding.

“Love is a trick, a game, a lie, a betrayal, a seduction, an illusion, a dream.”

— Braithwaite's cynical view of love, likely influenced by his personal experiences.

“The novelist is a god, and his characters are his creatures.”

— A statement on the power and role of the author in creating fictional worlds.

“We are all in the process of becoming, and we never quite arrive.”

— A general observation on the human condition of continuous change and development.

“There are some things you can't get over, and some things you can't live with.”

— A poignant reflection on grief and the enduring impact of loss.

“Facts are like fish. They are not to be caught in nets, but to be found in the deep.”

— Braithwaite's metaphor for the difficulty of uncovering genuine historical facts.

“Why do we bother to live, if all we do is remember?”

— A question posed by Braithwaite, highlighting the burden and nature of memory.

“The purpose of art is to make us feel.”

— A straightforward statement on the primary function and impact of artistic creation.

“Perhaps there are no facts, only interpretations.”

— A postmodernist leaning in Braithwaite's questioning of objective truth.

“To be a writer is to be a professional failure.”

— A self-deprecating but insightful remark on the challenges and constant striving of the writing profession.

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Key Questions (FAQ)

Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired English doctor, embarks on a quixotic quest to find the 'true' stuffed parrot that once sat on Gustave Flaubert's desk in Croisset. His journey takes him to various museums and locations across France, encountering multiple taxidermied parrots, each with a plausible claim to being Flaubert's original inspiration for 'Loulou' in 'Un Cœur simple'. This quest serves as a metaphor for the elusive nature of historical truth and biographical certainty.

About the author

Julian Barnes

Julian Patrick Barnes is an English writer. He won the Man Booker Prize in 2011 with The Sense of an Ending, having been shortlisted three times previously with Flaubert's Parrot, England, England, and Arthur & George. Barnes has also written crime fiction under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh. In addition to novels, Barnes has published collections of essays and short stories.

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