Guy de Maupassant’s “Boule de Suif” presents a clear picture of the social inequality of French society at the time of the Franco-Prussian War. The main characters represent the various French social classes: the aristocracy (the count and countess), the bourgeoisie (the Loiseaus and Carré-Lamadons), and the common folk (principally Boule de Suif, who is wealthy enough to employ a servant but whose profession places her firmly outside of “respectable” society). Added to this are the nuns—representatives of the Church, which was a historical seat of power in French society—and Cornudet, who is a self-appointed spokesperson for the democratic cause. Through these characters’ interactions with one another and with others, the story explores how entrenched the social hierarchy truly is.

The 10 main characters are thrown together because they are all trying to flee the war-torn city of Rouen. The similarity of their motivations suggests that some sort of cross-class solidarity might be possible, but the story also emphasizes that the war does not actually impact the characters equally. Though the wealthiest characters complain the most about the war’s effects, they have the least to lose:

Count Hubert spoke […] of the losses which would result to him from the seizing of cattle and from ruined crops, but with all the assurance of a great landed proprietor, […] whom these ravages might inconvenience for the space of a year (13).