3-2-1 Response: The Immoralist by Andre Gide

Andre Gide (1869-1951) was a French author and the Nobel Prize winner in literature in 1947. He is best known for his fiction as well as autobiographical works and is often regarded as a controversial figure. Throughout his life, Gide dealt with his contradictory personality, trying to reconcile his homosexuality with his narrow view on morality. Gide's works can be seen as an investigation of freedom in spite of stifling societal expectations and views.

In 1902, Gide wrote The Immoralist, a work of fiction with shocking similarities to Gide's own life. Although Gide never claimed that the main character Michele was indeed a replica of himself, it is implicit throughout the text; both Michele and Gide are forced to live heterosexual lives due to the construct of the society in which they live, they both transcend the moral expectations of their time, and both of their lives include traveling to foreign lands and embracing new cultures.

The main plot of the story revolves around Michele, the protagonist of the novel whose brush with death as a result of his illness has left him with a new sense of appreciation for life. His wife Marceline has been a caregiver to Michele and has helped him win his struggle against death, however, Michele's true source of inspiration has come from his encounter with young, lively boys in Tunisia, from whom Michele has gained the strength to want to live again. Seeing their healthy, vibrant bodies has invoked in Michele a sense of desire to regain his health. After Michele recovers, he shaves his beard, gets physically fit, and decides to move back to Paris with Marceline, with a new philosophy in life; no longer does Michele preoccupy himself with the future, but rather he has learned to focus on the present. Moreover, Michele no longer sees the need to hold on to material possessions or wealth; he freely spends his money on himself and Marceline and moves to his inherited family farm. There, he befriends the lowly peasants and gains a new sense of admiration for their lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Marceline's health is beginning to deteriorate and she finds herself in the same situation in which Michele had been. Unlike Marceline, Michele is not a passionate caregiver and is often negligent in treating Marceline. Ultimately, on their vacation to Tunisia, Michele abandons Marceline at the hotel and meets the young boy whom he had met years earlier, now a grown man. Although he has promised Marceline that he would be back early, he breaks his promise and along with the boy spends some time in a brothel. When he returns, he finds Marceline in a horrid condition, coughing up blood and shaking frantically. He tries to soothe her and hold her tightly, but it is too late. The next morning, Marceline is dead.

After reading this novel, I found myself still confused as to the title chosen by Gide. Although Michele acted selfishly towards the end of the novel, his constant suppression by society and his marriage to Marceline out of "a sense of duty" should be taken into consideration when evaluating his character. I found Michele to be the victim as opposed to the perpetrator, even though his irresponsibility proved to be deadly, his intentions mainly involved self-exploration and the enjoyment of his life. To label Michele as immoral would be a great injustice to the complex nature of humans.

I would recommend reading The Immoralist as it provided brilliant insight into the complex nature of humanity, freedom, and life.