All of the characters in Thérèse Raquin hate their lives. Pretty much, anyway. And this dissatisfaction sets into motion the tragedies of the novel. This focus on Thérèse, Laurent, and company's misery is a reflection of the author's interest in studying how the environment affects "the human organism." So, for example, the novel opens with Thérèse feeling bored and stifled by the monotony of the habadashery shop. Her complete boredom is what causes her attraction to the shiny-looking Laurent, and leads her to follow a rainbow that ends not in pots of gold, but in adultery and murder. Zing.
Questions About Dissatisfaction
- Why is Thérèse so dissatisfied with her life at the shop? With Camille and Mme Raquin? And if she's really so unhappy, why does she remain so passive at the beginning of the novel?
- Even though Laurent has slept with many women, after his affair with Thérèse, he can no longer find any satisfaction unless he is with her. Why is that, do you think?
- After Camille's murder, Laurent and Thérèse suffer a new form of dissatisfaction. How do they attempt to overcome their uneasiness?
Chew on This
Boredom plays a major factor in propelling Thérèse into the throes of adultery. But boredom really isn't an excuse for murder.
After Laurent and Thérèse get married, their dissatisfaction takes the form of feeling trapped in each other's company; no matter how their circumstances change, it seems as if these characters simply can't be happy.