Original Short Stories — Volume 03

"Original Short Stories — Volume 03" by Guy de Maupassant is a compilation of short stories that studies human behavior and social standards. Within these pages, readers will discover a wide variety of characters facing difficult situations with themes of love, the distress of loss, what is considered moral, and the feeling of hopelessness, particularly through the stories such as "Miss Harriet" and "Little Louise Roque". Beginning with "Miss Harriet", a group wanders on a trip to Tancarville from Etretat with the setting of interesting characters, like the painter Leon Chenal and the strange Miss Harriet. Chenal's love of nature and art is shown, while also hinting at a need for a deeper connection with ranges of social interactions from playful to hidden struggles. As opposed to "Little Louise Roque", it begins with the discovery of a young girl's dead body in the forest, quickly pulling readers into the dark topics of crime, personal struggles, and the search for justice in a rural location. The contrasting tones of innocence and pain creates the base for Maupassant’s exploration into the deep and complicated aspects of human existence.