Gender
Colette's semi-autobiographical novel explores the concept of gender, and what it means to be a man and a woman in the time she is writing. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, society had fixed views about gender roles, which Colette criticizes and rebels against in this text. The figure of the "New Woman" is a key aspect of the period, who was seen as a threat to tradition and national identity. Many of Colette's rebellions in the text take place in the sexual sphere, where she defends unconventional sexuality, especially in terms of gender. She suggests that women have the capacity to be active sexual beings, despite the fact societal expectations require them to be passive.
Purity vs Impurity
The concepts of purity and impurity are discussed int the novel, as we would expect from the title. She decides not to see these terms in a religious sense, instead defining them in her own way, deciding that the terms are complex. This novel discusses key terms like purity and impurity, deciding what they truly mean for women in the time she was writing.
