Against the Grain · Chapter
VI explained
Des Esseintes, lost in reverie, recalls his manipulation of D'Aigurande's marriage and his scheme to corrupt a young boy, Auguste Langlois, by introducing him to luxury and vice in order to create a criminal.
What happens
Des Esseintes, lost in reverie, recalls his manipulation of D'Aigurande's marriage and his scheme to corrupt a young boy, Auguste Langlois, by introducing him to luxury and vice in order to create a criminal. He reflects on the futility of his experiment and the nature of education and social hatred.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
The emotional and psychological peak occurs in the narrator's horrifying self-confrontation in the mirror, whe…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Decadence and Degeneracy
Des Esseintes' deliberate attempt to corrupt a young boy into a life of crime exemplifies the theme of moral decay.
- Disillusionment with Society
His scheme is motivated by a desire to create an enemy of society, reflecting his deep disillusionment.
- The Futility of Pleasure
The experiment ultimately fails, as Des Esseintes never hears of Auguste again, underscoring the emptiness of his pursuits.
Characters to notice
- Des Esseintes
Reflects on his past manipulations and experiments with human behavior.
- D'Aigurande
Recalled as a friend whose marriage Des Esseintes helped to sabotage.
- Auguste Langlois
A young boy Des Esseintes attempted to corrupt into becoming a murderer.
- Madame Laure
The madam of the brothel where Des Esseintes brought Auguste.
- Miss Urania
Mentioned as the 'handsome Jewess' Vanda at Madame Laure's establishment.
Key passages
“Buried in a vast hooded armchair, his feet resting on the silver-gilt balls of the firedogs, his slippers roasting before the burning logs that shot out bright, crackling flames as if lashed by the furious blast of a blowpipe, Des Esseintes laid down on a table the old quarto he was reading, stretched himself, lit a cigarette and presently lapsed into a delicious reverie, his mind hurrying full chase in pursuit of old-time reminiscences.”
Des Esseintes, lounging in a large armchair by the fire, sets aside his book and drifts into a pleasant daydream, recalling past memories.
Opens the chapter with Des Esseintes in a state of reflective solitude.
“The plain truth is I am simply trying to train a murderer.”
I am attempting to mold a killer.
Des Esseintes reveals his cynical experiment to Madame Laure.
