XVI: Little Marie explained

What happens

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.

Themes in this chapter

• Love and Marriage

  The chapter centers on Germain's proposal to Little Marie and the mutual confession of love, leading to a marriage agreement.

• Family and Parenthood

  Mother Maurice's involvement and Petit-Pierre's arrival highlight the role of family in Germain's romantic life.

Characters to notice

• Germain

  Germain, encouraged by his mother-in-law, goes to speak with Little Marie about marriage, expressing his love and fear of rejection.

• Marie

  Little Marie, initially thoughtful and trembling, eventually confesses her love for Germain and embraces him.

• Petit-Pierre

  Petit-Pierre arrives on a stick horse with his little sister, interrupting Germain and Marie's embrace.

• Mother Maurice

  Mother Maurice urges Germain to speak to Little Marie, giving her approval and insisting he resolve the uncertainty.

Key passages

• “Little Marie,” said he, sitting down near her, “I come to trouble you and to give you pain. I know it very well, but the man and his wife at home wish me to speak to you, and beg you to marry me. You don’t care for me. I am prepared for it.”

  Germain tells Marie he knows his proposal will upset her, but his in-laws insist he ask her to marry him, and he expects her refusal.

  Germain's reluctant and self-deprecating approach to proposing.

• “Oh, Germain,” she sobbed, “didn’t you feel that I loved you?””

  Marie cries and asks Germain how he could not realize she loved him.

  Marie's emotional confession of love.