Considering the historical context of the time, Emile Zola’s novel The Belly of Paris is unusual because women are the one who run the market. Each woman’s influence is dependent on their appearance, profession, experience, and socioeconomic status in comparison to others in the community. Collectively, it is the women who run the market, regardless of their status. Without them, the market could not function, making them the physical embodiment of Paris’s nutritional and daily needs. A women’s appearance is essential for gaining trust and authority in the market since they themselves are the face of a product. While men do nothing for sales, the women use their appearance to sell their produce. For example, the protagonist’s sister-in-law,…show more content… For example, when Marjolin comes on to Lisa, she does not cower in fear. Instead, she knocks him out and quickly and quietly goes on with her life, saying that “she felt no guilt. She behaved as a decent woman should” (Zola 204). However, women during that time period typically would not have reacted to that situation in the same way, making Lisa’s actions rather uncommon. This demonstrates that the market women are unusually strong minded and independent, especially the older ones. They take their fate into their own hands, even though it might go against social norms. The older women are more mature and wise because they know the ways of the market, understand the hardships of life, and have low expectations and realistic desires. Most of how they are regarded by others is due to the wares they sell, rather than how they act; their whole world revolves around a capitalist economy rather than a social community.
Zola’s novel provides an interesting take on women’s history in the 19th century. The presentation of strong and independent female characters adds depth to the discussions of produce and politics of the time. While men might seem to have bigger roles in society, it is women who run the market, arguably the most important part of daily life. While appearance, product association, wisdom and socioeconomic status creates a tier of hierarchy in the market between the women, they all are essential to market efficiency. The women in the novel are strong and independent since they are the ones who run the
