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---BookReview:“Camille”
IreadtheChineseversionof“Camille”afewyearsago.AtthattimeIwasdeeplymovedbythemaincharacterMargueriteGautier.“Camille”or“TheLadyoftheCamellias”byAlexandreDumas,fils,isthestoryofMargueriteGautier,ayoungcourtesan,orkeptwoman,inParisinthemid1800's,andhowshefallsinlovewithayoungman,ArmandDuval,andthentriestoescapefromherquestionablepast.Unfortunately,itcomesbacktohauntherandsheendsupreturningtothatlifeanddiespainfullyandalone,butwiththeknowledgethatshewasanoblewomanatheart.WhenIfirstbegantoreadthebook,IdidnotcareforMargueriteorherattitudeorlifestyle,butasIgotfurtherintothenarrative,Irealizedthathersaucyattitudewasafronttocoverthelonelywomanthatshereallywas.Shefeltused,abusedandunloved,untilthegentleArmandDuvalcameintoherlifeandshowedherthathelovedherasapersonandnotforwhatshecoulddoforhim.ItmusthavetakengreatcourageforMargueritetoleavethelifeshehadlivedforsolong,knowingallalongthatitwasprobablytoogoodtobetrueandwouldnotlastindefinitely.AnditalsoshowedthatMargueritereallylovedArmandDuvalforshecouldevenchangeherselfforhim.
However,happinessdidn’tlastforlong.WhenM.Duval,Armand'sfather,cametoher,pleadingforhertoleaveArmandtosavebothArmand'sreputationandthatofhisyoungerinnocentsister,Margueritesawawaytobecomepureofheart,ifnotinbody.Shefeltthatitwasherduty,becauseshelovedArmandsomuch,todothiseventhoughitmeantgivingupherownhappinessandhurtingArmandtemporarily.Shereluctantlyreturnedtoherformerlife,knowingthatsomedayArmandwouldforgiveher.Sadly,shediedindebtandbasicallyalone,exceptforheronefemalefriend,JulieDuprat,whohelpedherduringherillness.ShehadherjournalsenttoArmandafterherdeath,explainingwhyshehadmadethechoicesshehad.IthinkDumas'slastfewlinesaboutMargueritebeingtheexception,nottherulewerequitetrue,andIalsoagreedwithhisviewthatwhileherlifestylecouldnotbecondoned,weasasocietyassumethatallofthesetypeofwomenarecoldandheartless,whilethismaynotalwaysbethecase.Apersoncanmakethewrongchoicesinlifewhentheyareyoung,andtrytoredeemthemselves,butsometimespastsituationspreventthemfromchangingtheirlives,eventhoughtheydesperatelywishtodoso.Thisappliestobothmenandwomeninmanydifferenttypesofcircumstances:involvementincrime;drugoralcoholabuse;gambling;prostitution;financialproblems;poormarriagechoices;etc.Andthisisthefact,whichexistsinthewholesociety.
Asfarastheothercharactersinthebook,IthinkMargueritewasrightinsayingthatnoonetrulycaredabouther,butonlywantedsomethingfromher,theonlyexceptionsbeingArmandandJulieDuprat.Ofcourse,theComtedeG.andComtedeN.wantedherbodyandappearance.TheDukeneededto“wakeupandsmellthecoffee”andrealizethatshecouldneverreplacehisdeaddaughter.Ifhetrulycared,hecouldhavehelpedherleaveherlifestylewithout“keeping”herhimself.Andlastly,Prudencewasablood-suckingleechwhousedMargueritealmostworsethanthemen.IalsothinkshewasjealousofthefactthatMargueritehadsomuchmorecouragethanherselfandsomeonetrulylovedher.