The Flood

"The Flood" by Émile Zola is a story from the late 1800s that shows what life was like back then and how people dealt with problems in society. This novel tells the tale of a farming family that is tight knit, and how a horrible flood changed everything for them. We see that they go through losing everything, and how strong people can be when nature is against them. Louis Roubien is an old farmer around 70 years old, and he tells of the wonderful life that him and his family had created on the farm before the flood. Then the Garonne River starts to rise more and more which soon threatens their home. As the water rises it takes over their residence, and the people who live there are scared and sad trying to stay alive in the middle of all the madness. The story shows the very real feelings that Louis and his family have. It really focuses on how much they love each other and the fact that they are a community. But there are losses that are very sad. The whole ordeal makes them wonder about their beliefs, and how much they can handle. Then, as the book comes to a close, Louis realizes how delicate life is. It shows the deep suffering after something so awful cannot be undone.