Marie by Anatole France (1891)
"Marie" is a novella written by Anatole France in 1893. The story follows the life of Marie, a young woman who is born into a wealthy family but finds herself feeling suffocated by her privileged upbringing. As she grows older, Marie becomes increasingly disillusioned with the hypocrisy and superficiality of high society, and she begins to question the values and beliefs that have been instilled in her since childhood. Despite her desire for independence and self-expression, Marie is ultimately unable to escape the constraints of her social status and finds herself trapped in a life that feels empty and unfulfilling. Through its exploration of themes such as identity, class, and the search for meaning, "Marie" offers a powerful critique of the societal norms and expectations that shape our lives.
By Anatole France · First published 1891 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Political fiction · 529 words
First lines
LITTLE girls long to pluck flowers and stars -- it is their nature to. But stars will not be plucked, and the lesson they teach little girls is, that in this world there are longings that are never satisfied. Mademoiselle Marie has gone into the park, where she came upon a bed of hydrangeas; she saw how pretty the flowers were and that made her gather one. It was very difficult; she dragged with both hands, and very nearly tumbled over backwards when the stalk broke. She is pleased and proud at what she has done. But nurse has seen her. She runs up, snatches at Mademoiselle Marie's arm, scolds her, and sets her to stand and repent, not in the black closet, but at the foot of a great chestnut, under the shade of a huge Japanese umbrella.
What this Textopian page supports
Marie is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anatole France, dated 1891 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Anatole France
- Date: 1891 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Political fiction
- Length: 529 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Marie by Anatole France
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Marie?
- How does this short story by Anatole France fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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- The Carnival Of Love by Guy De Maupassant
Genres
- Historical Fiction — The novel is set in the historical context of the French Revolution, even though the protagonist Marie is fictional. This combination of historic events and fictional characters signifies Historical Fiction.
- Romance — Marie's romantic relationships are a central part of the plot, qualifying it as a Romance novel.
- Political fiction — Given the significant influence of the French political scene on the novel's plot and character development, Political Fiction is a relevant genre for 'Marie'.
Tags
French Literature · Nineteenth Century Literature · Realism · Symbolism · Women's Studies · Gender Studies · Marriage · Social Commentary · Political Satire · Historical Fiction · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery