Lisa P. answered • 04/15/23
Texas Reading Academy Certified - ELA 5+ Years in Literacy Instruction
"A Simple Heart" by Gustave Flaubert is a story about a housemaid who lives a life of servitude. Despite enduring great losses, and suffering a very miserable childhood, she approaches life and her role with great ambition and resolve.
By reading this story, you start to examine and understand your own experiences and how you've approached them, and start to reflect on yourself in the same ways that Felicite does. Questions you might ask yourself are "how should I approach this feeling of betrayal?" In the book, Felicite is betrayed by a young man with whom she's romantically involved. After reading about how she endures the situation, it may give you pause to reflect on how you've handled past betrayals or similar situations.
As far as background, A Simple Heart does a great job of explaining what its like to live a life of poverty, and to come from adversity. Reflect on how her experiences were affected by her upbringing, where she lived, or what resources she had to get by. Think about how this affected her relationship with the children she nannied. Then, reflect on your own background and how it has affected and shaped who you are as a person.
Ultimately, the story gives opportunity for self-reflection and examination while reading it, as it is a complex story involving many events and situations that are not entirely uncommon human experiences. I hope this helped!
