a kate for all seasons

swapping out france gall for jane fonda as the old avatar for a while

is anyone else getting a lot of anti-v*x and t*rf-y ads on twitter these days? i had three today, which is new and troubling.

As an academic who has been studying French or French literature in some form since the first grade, I was somewhat proud of the fact that I managed to make it through all of those studies without ever having to read Madame Bovary, but alas that time has finally come.

I think I liked it? Despite not liking most of the characters, and the reduction of most of the characters into being whatever trait/flaw/societal position it was that Flaubert was trying to poke fun at. The novel being an exercise in form is also a bit obvious (but maybe it's obvious because I came into it with the knowledge that that's what it is?)

I also felt quite bad for Charles...it's not his fault he's dim and dull. I'd have just dismissed him as inattentive and boring if it weren't for that scene at the opera where Emma makes them leave bc Léon turns up and Charles is all "but I was just starting to enjoy myself and to understand why people like opera! And I like trying to understand things..." and she won't let him.