Bouvard and Pécuchet: A Tragi-comic Novel of Bourgeois Life, part 2

"Bouvard and Pécuchet: A Tragi-comic Novel of Bourgeois Life" by Gustave Flaubert is a story occurring in the late 1800s that tells the story of two middle-aged office workers, Bouvard and Pécuchet, who receive an inheritance and decide to leave their old lives to chase after many different hobbies, leading them to the study of different forms of understanding, faith, and learning. The novel studies ideas of drive, the ridiculousness of trying to gain wisdom, and the pointlessness of the middle-class dream for self-change. At the start of the story we encounter Bouvard and Pécuchet after they have lived the boring rhythms of their early jobs. The characters are shown as somewhat unlucky but genuine as they deal with the problems of new interests, such as trying out religious customs, artistry, and deep thought. Their first tries to participate with prayerful writings and traditions demonstrate their longing for sense and pleasure in life, showing their character's sincere wish for connection and comprehension. The mood is mixed with sorrow and funniness as their heartfelt efforts often end in humorous defeats, prepping the scenes for their study of both understanding and foolishness that will be told through the novel.