Love
Love is complex, and it manifests in mysterious ways. Her husband leaves Gervaise, and she is heartbroken. Gervaise promises herself that she will never get married again. However, she falls in love with Coupeau, and she cannot resist his charm. The main paradox is that Gervaise gets married in another memorable wedding despite promising herself that she will not love again.
Coupeau’s laziness
When Gervaise first meets Coupeau, he is an engineer who is loving and a hard-working person. After they get married, Coupeau continues working hard until he gets into an accident while on duty. The recovery is slow, but at last, he recovers. Ironically, Coupeau refers to sleeping the whole day and depending on Gervaise for everything instead of going to work. Later, he becomes an alcoholic and a lazy man who is useless and unsupportive.
The paradox of life
Life can be good if one is disciplined. Gervaise is a woman who wants to be happy, and she struggles to make it in life despite the heartbreaks she gets from men. When Gervaise finally manages to open her laundry shop, she thinks all her problems are solved. Ironically, Gervaise is frustrated by Coupeau’s laziness, and she becomes an alcoholic. Later, she gets depressed and loses the laundry business she worked so hard to establish.
