Germinal

Josh Pain

H104

03/21/07

Q: How much do the wives of the mine owners and managers like Mme Gregoire and Mme Hennebeau; know about the lives of the miners? How would they explain the conditions facing a woman like La Maheude?

A: The wives of the mine owners seem to not know much about the lives of the miners and their families, and don't seem to really take the time to care. During this time many women like Madame Gregoire would have considered the conditions that faced the people of the mines were caused only by the miners' own faults. When La Mahuede actually has to come and beg them for help, she talks to La Mahuede about how the men of the mine would spend their money on beer and not save a dime. Her husband does not let her know of the conditions the miner's families endure and are quite oblivious to the way of life that the miners face.

The Gregoires didn't believe in giving money because of course it would be used for drank, but instead would give clothes to the little ones. When La Maheude begs for help they immediately go to get clothes for them to wear. 6 This unfortunately is not the help they need. Keeping themselves warm is a good thing, but if they having nothing to eat and are starving to death, being warm is not as great a concern as eating. La Maheude feels horrible for even having to come and ask for help, but it is her last chance as she sees it. Still her pleads seem to go unanswered by the Gregoires.

M. Gregoire says "Life can be hard, it is very true; but, my god woman, it must be said that the workers are not always sensibleÐ'...I mean, for example, instead of putting a few sous to one side the way country folk do, the miners just drink and run up debts, so that in the end there is nothing left for them to feed their families on."1

This of course can be said about some of the miners but from what I can tell this is untrue. The little money that these poor miners would receive would immediately go to debts that they owed for food or clothing. Even when La Maheude tries to explain to the Gregoires how they could be in debt with out wasting their money Mme. Gregoire replies with.

"But," said Mme. Gregoire, "I thought the company paid for your rent and heating". 5

This shows just how little Mme. Gregoire really knows about the conditions that the underprivileged face. I think that she doesn't know about a lot of it because M. Gregoire keeps it from her. If she did know I think she might have done something.

At some point in this book these people are going to ask the question why works so hard and yet gain nothing at all. The conditions that these families face everyday are oblivious to the upper class, not because they don't care but simply because they don't know. This can be found evident in the conversation La Maheude has with the Gregoire's about her children.

"Are these your only two?" asked Mme Gregoire, for something to say.

"Oh no, Madame. I have seven."

M. Gregoire, who had gone back to reading his newspaper, gave an indigent start:

"Seven children? But whatever for, in God's name?"

"It's unwise," the old lady said softly. 2

In this one, two letter sentence of "it's unwise" demonstrates how these upper class citizens do not understand what the miners and their families go through everyday. They believe that all of these problems are simply created by the miners and that if they only took the responsibility to have a better life and save money they to could live happy and peaceful as the upper class citizens do. With the combination of low wages and unrealistic views held by the upper class, the poor seemed