Essay Questions

Why did Pelo fail to act as a father figure to Louis and how did this situation affect Louis?

The viewer first recognizes that Louis is not fatherless even though his mother is taking him to Pelo for fatherly guidance. Louis' biological father becomes negligent when he decides to leave his family for another woman. Since Louis' mother is pregnant and overwhelmed with other responsibilities, she decides to take him to Pelo so that he can act as a father figure. However, Pelo fails to act as a father figure to the young boy because he drinks a lot, and most of the time he is angry. Pelo’s behavior pushes away the young boy. Therefore, Louis is more confused and he is struggling to discover his self-identity.

Why are Marcelle and her husband struggling to love the young Louis?

Louis is a young innocent boy who deserves nothing else but love. Marcelle and her husband lost their son at an early age and they have not come to accept that reality. Therefore, whenever they look at Louis they start remembering their dead child. This makes Pelo in resolving to become a drunkard. On the other hand, the presence of Louis makes Marcelle have bad memories of her dead son. She thinks that no matter how she loves Louis, her son will not come back to life.

What is the main theme in the film The Grand Highway (Le Grand Chemin) by Jean-Loup Hubert?

Family suffering emerges as the primary theme throughout the film. Jean-Loup Hubert introduces the viewer to Louis' family who is nine years old. His father abandons the family when he is only nine years old. He leaves Louis' mother to struggle with her pregnancy and raising the family single-handedly. Women go through difficult moments when they are abandoned by their husbands. On the other hand, Marcelle and her husband Pelo are living in agony because their son dies at an early age. Coping with this stress is overwhelming because it pushes Pelo to alcoholism. Marcelle is always in deep thought and whenever she looks at Louis she starts to have bad memories about her son who is dead.