Study Notes from Dave Hickey's Air Guitar: Essays on Art & Democracy

AIR GUITAR

Author: Dave Hickey

Publication Details
  • Title: Air Guitar: Essays on Art & Democracy
  • Publisher: Art Issues Press
  • Foundation: The Foundation for Advanced Critical Studies, Inc.
    • Address: 8721 Santa Monica Boulevard, #6, Los Angeles, California 90069
    • Website: www.artissuespress.com
  • Publication Year: 1997
  • Rights: © 1997 Dave Hickey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission.
  • Funding: Supported by Lannan Foundation, Bohen Foundation, California Arts Council, City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.
  • Design: Tracey Shiffman
  • Printed By: RR Donnelley & Sons Company
  • Library of Congress Cataloging Number: 97-60779
  • ISBN: 0-9637264-5-5

SIMPLE HEARTS

Overview of "A Simple Heart"

  • Author: Gustave Flaubert
  • Publication Date: April 1877
  • Context: Written while Flaubert was working on "Bouvard and Pécuchet". This story was a response to George Sand’s requests for compassion in his writings.
  • Setting: Early 19th century, around Pont-l'Évêque and Trouville.

Main Characters

  • Félicité: An isolated, illiterate Catholic house-servant, whose life is marked by labor, loss, and emotional neglect.

Narrative Structure

  • Theme: The juxtaposition of banality and redemption in the face of hardship, illustrated through Félicité's unwavering kindness.
  • Imagery: Flaubert employs vivid descriptions that convey the emotional depth and thematic contrasts inherent in human experience.

Plot Summary

Life of Félicité
  • Early Life: Explores her position as a servant and the neglect she faces from family and society.
  • Relationships: Centers on her connections with two children, Virginie (her mistress’s daughter) and Victor (her nephew), both of whom die young, emphasizing Félicité’s progressive losses.
Key Moments
  • Moment of Emotional Connection: Félicité and Madame Aubain’s first genuine embrace marks the only instance of mutual acknowledgment in their lives, reflecting Flaubert’s critique of social barriers.
  • Acts of Kindness: Describes how Félicité takes care of others throughout her life, tending to the needy while receiving little in return.

Symbolism of the Parrot

  • Character of Loulou (the Parrot): Represents Félicité's unfulfilled desires and emotional void.
  • Parrot's Significance: Throughout its life and subsequent taxidermy, it embodies her loss, serving as a representation of all she has loved and lost.

Themes of Isolation and Social Commentary

  • Flaubert's Perspective on Society: The narrative reflects on how art can encapsulate loneliness and redemption through shared emotional experiences, regardless of social status.
  • Democracy vs. Aristocracy of Feeling: Proposes an alternative to the aristocracy of feeling, favoring democratic connections based on shared desires rather than social class or superior empathy.

Concluding Thoughts on Flaubert and "A Simple Heart"

  • Reflections of the Author: The story serves as Flaubert's allegory for his own struggles as a writer, merging his personal losses with those of his character, Félicité.
  • Art's Role: Art acts as a bridge between individuals, fostering a new societal understanding based on collective experience and empathy.