Germinal (1885) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Characters edit see section history

• Étienne Lantier: An unemployed railway worker, he is an outsider to the community of Montsou.
• Bonnemort: Real name Vincent Maheu. An elderly man, he used to work as an underground hauler before undertaking his current position as a wagon-tender above ground.
• Toussaint Maheu: Bonnemort's son, he is a Voreux hauler.
• Constance Maheude: Touissant Maheu's wife.
• Zacharie Maheu: Eldest son of Toussiant and Constance Maheu.
• Catherine Maheu: A 15-year-old girl, she is Toussaint and Constance Maheu's eldest daughter.
• Jeanlin Maheu: The Maheu's third child, she is an 11-year-old girl.
• Alxire Maheu: Touissant and Constance Maheu's hunchbacked eight-year-old daughter.
• Léonore Maheu: Touissant and Constance Maheu's six-year-old daughter.
• Henri Maheu: Touissant and Constance Maheu's four-year-old son.
• Estelle Maheu: Touissant and Constance Maheu's youngest child.
• Levaque: A Voreux hauler, he is the Maheus's neighbor.
• Philomène: Levaque's daughter, she is Zacharie Maheu's mistress and mother to their 2 children.
• Bébert: Levaque's 12-year-old son.
• Louis Bouteloup: A timber cutter for mine casings, he rooms with the Levaques.
• La Brûlé: Mother to La Pironne, the Matheus' scrawny neighbor
• Pierron: Voreux miner.
• La Pierronne: Pierron's wife and La Brûlé's daughter.
• Lydie Pierron: Pierron's ten-year-old daughter.
• Monqué: Bonnemort's friend and longtime co-worker.
• Monquette: Monqué's daughter, she is a robust and sexually active worker at the mines.
• Léon Grégoire: Shareholder in the Montsou Company.
• Cécile Grégoire: Léon Grégoire's 18-year-old daughter.
• Pluchart: A former mechanic, he is the secretary of the Northern Federation of the International Workingmen's Union.
• Chaval: A 25-year-old miner, he is Lantier's rival for Catherine's affection.
• Rasseneur: A former miner who was fired for agitation, he is the proprietor of "L'Avantage" inn in Montsou.
• Souvarine: A Russian anarchist who works at the mine as a mechanic.
• Berloque: Add a description of this character.
• Deneulin: Léon Grégoire's cousin and owner of the Jean-Bart mine.
• M. Hennebeau: Director-General of the Montsou Company
• Mme. Hennebeau: M. Hennebeau's wife.
• Paul Négrel: Engineer-foreman of Le Voreux.

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Montsou
• Requillart
• Paris
• Vandame
• Poland
• Jean-bart
• Lille
• Mirou
• Belgium
• Chicot
• Pluchart

First Sentence edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Socialism: Describe this theme.
• Marxist anarchy
• Social Justice
• Working class vs. bourgeoisie

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by La Joie de vivre, and followed by His Masterpiece.

Preceded by Swallows and Amazons, and followed by Vanity Fair.

Preceded by Herzog, and followed by Call It Sleep.

Preceded by King Solomon's Mines, and followed by Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Émile Zola (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 848'.7

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Authors, A-Z › ( Z ) › Zola, Emile
• Books › Literature & Fiction › History & Criticism › Criticism & Theory
• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › French
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Classics
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Classics
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Literary