Germinal Lesson Plan

Discuss the struggles between Monsieur Hennebeau and his wife.

In a somewhat surprising turn, Zola sets up a tension between Hennebeau and his adulterous wife. Hennebeau's struggle to satisfy and connect with his wife is the main source of misery for him. During the strike, he passes by the settlement and hears the miners making love to their lovers and wishes that he were one of them.

They do not realize, he believes, how lucky they truly are. The disadvantage of holding a "respectable" position in society is that one is not allotted the freedom to do what he wants—especially when it comes to taking sexual liberties. He envies the miners' ability to engage freely in...