# Illness and Neurosis in Against the Grain

> Theme guide for Against the Grain by J.-K. Huysmans.

The narrative is punctuated by Des Esseintes' physical and psychological ailments—anaemia, dyspepsia, hallucinations, and nervous exhaustion—which reflect the fin-de-siècle fascination with the interplay between body, mind, and decadent lifestyle.

## Where it surfaces

- [Notice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/notice): Des Esseintes suffers from chronic nervous ailments, scrofula, and physical exhaustion, which drive his need for a quiet, controlled environment.
- [Chapter V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/v): Redon's drawings evoke Des Esseintes' memories of typhoid fever and nightmares, linking art to his nervous condition.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/vii): The chapter details Des Esseintes' nervous cough, stomach issues, and other physical symptoms, highlighting the theme of neurosis and physical decline.
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/viii): The chapter is dominated by Des Esseintes' obsession with syphilis as an inexhaustible hereditary malady, and his nightmare vividly depicts his neurotic fear of the disease.
- [The Perfume Experiment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/x): Des Esseintes' olfactory hallucinations are a manifestation of his nervous disorder, driving his obsessive experimentation with perfumes.
- [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/xi): Des Esseintes' nervous collapse and the doctor's inability to diagnose him underscore the theme of neurosis and the fragility of his mental state.
- [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/xiii): The chapter vividly describes Des Esseintes' physical and nervous collapse under the heat, including nausea, optical delusions, and prostration, highlighting his fragile health.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/chapters/xv): Des Esseintes experiences a severe physical and mental decline, with hallucinations, fevers, and digestive issues dominating the chapter.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/themes/illness_and_neurosis
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/against_the_grain_se/themes