"Germinal" and "Kim"

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer looks at the themes and characters in the books "Kim" by Rudyard Kipling and "Germinal" by Emile Zola. The writer discusses one theme that appears in both novels, that is the idea prevalent in Europe prior to World War II, that certain races or groups of human beings are innately prone to violence, crime and poverty. The writer contends that overall, despite the evenhanded emphasis that both authors attempted to make with their tales, "Germinal" and "Kim" both reflect values and notions of race and class that are very out of place in the modern world. The writer concludes that Kipling sees the future as being typified by this conglomeration of cultural forces; he believes that it can be peaceful and that to Zola, there is still hope for socialist revolution.

From the Paper:

"Nevertheless, one theme that appears in both novels is the idea--prevalent in Europe prior to World War II, that certain races or groups of human beings are innately prone to violence, crime, and poverty. Zola repeatedly attributes Etienne Lantier's hot-blooded temper and addictive personality to traits that his father possessed. Such attributes, it would seem, are consequences of generations of low breeding. Meanwhile, Kipling, despite all his intricate awareness of India, appears utterly unaware of the hardships that imperialism had brought upon the native inhabitants and, indeed, that it was the natural order of the world that Britain should rule India. Overall, despite the evenhanded emphasis that both authors attempted to make with their tales, Germinal and Kim both reflect values and notions of race and class that are very out of place in the modern world."

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