The French classicists have a way of recognizing the amusing qualities in most any situation. I left my heart in Paris, so I am reading French stories this week.

“Putois,” by Anatole France, 50 Great Short Stories Edited by Milton Crane

Great stories have a timeless quality. France reflects on the nature of existence in this tale of Putois, “a being local and mythical.” We had such a being when I was in high school. He ran for class president and won. He graduated with us. No one ever saw him because he didn’t exist, or did he?      

“Jean Gourdon’s Four Days,” by Emile Zola, The Literature Network

Zola sketches a man’s journey through four season of life, tracing his experience against the background of all aspects of nature, human and divine.

The Earth is a vast workshop wherein there is never a slack season.

“The Foreigner,” by Francis Steegmuller 50 Great Short Stories Edited by Milton Crane

A foreigner violates a touchy taxi driver’s sensibilities by attempting to give him directions. The taxi driver engages the gendarmes. Just when our hapless traveler thinks he has the law on his side, Mon Dieu, it is discovered that he has left his ID at home. Quelle situation. This will cost him.  

“The Wedding Night,” Short Stories of De Maupassant

An innocent bride, horrified by her husband’s expectations, details to a girlfriend with hilarity the lengths to which she went to avoid the deed.

I was now alone with my husband, who made me some summary explanations, as one explains a surgical operation before it is undertaken.

“Penguin Island,” by Anatole France

An excerpt from this satirical novel  brings to mind Gulliver’s Travels. France travels through eras of human history skewering human behavior and with the sword of bad theology. A priest baptizes a colony of penguins and God sees fit to turn them into humans, accountable for sins no penguin could conceive.

“Facino Cane,” By Honore de Balzac, from Scenes from Parisian Life,

Just as today’s writers re-purpose work into flash fiction or a scenes in a novel, this story about a nobleman fallen on hard times popped up in Balzac’s writing multiple times. The writer positions himself as student of human nature who enters the souls of the observed. He translates his powers of observation into vivid language.

The dreary, dispirited look died out of his face, some mysterious hope brightened his features and slid like a blue flame over his wrinkles.

“Mme Neigeon,” by Emile Zola

This stylistic account of French manners brought to mind the Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity exhibit currently at The Chicago Art Institute. Zola describes  elaborate period dress  with the same enthusiasm  artists of his day captured fashion trends on canvas. When Mme Neigeon sweeps her skirt across a young man’s knee he misinterprets the gesture, but we suspect that the lady is in complete control of the situation, and we are right.