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Η πλημμύρα
Ο Λουί Ρουμπιέ είχε τα πάντα -μια αγαπημένη οικογένεια, πλούσιες σοδειές, αφθονία, ευμάρεια- και ήταν ευτυχισμένος. Δεν υπολόγισε όμως τα καπρίτσια του ποταμού Γαρούνα, που, αφού γονιμοποίησε τη γη του, του τα παίρνει όλα πίσω. Σε λίγες ώρες το όνειρο γίνεται εφιάλτης. Η μοίρα του ανθρώπου είναι τρομερά ευάλωτη· και τα ανθρώπινα επιτεύγματα εύθραυστα απέναντι στις δυνάμεις της φύσης. Με αφορμή τις μεγάλες πλημμύρες του Γαρούνα το καλοκαίρι του 1875, ο Ζολά μας κόβει την ανάσα με μια διήγηση σε ρυθμό ασθμαίνοντα, όπου μέσα στα νερά του φοβερού ποταμού στροβιλίζονται τα πρόσωπά της μαζί με τους αναγνώστες, και κανείς δεν βγαίνει αλώβητος από το κατακλυσμιαίο αυτό γεγονός.
72 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1880
25 people are currently reading
465 people want to read
About the author
Émile Zola
2,733 books4,486 followersÉmile Zola was a prominent French novelist, journalist, and playwright widely regarded as a key figure in the development of literary naturalism. His work profoundly influenced both literature and society through its commitment to depicting reality with scientific objectivity and exploring the impact of environment and heredity on human behavior. Born and raised in France, Zola experienced early personal hardship following the death of his father, which deeply affected his understanding of social and economic struggles—a theme that would later permeate his writings.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 23, 2021
"..كان ذلك مساء يوم جميل، وخطر لي أنّ سعادتنا برمتها، المحاصيل الوفيرة، البيت الهانئ، خطبة فيرونيك، كل ذلك يمطر علينا من الأعلى ويهبط علينا في نقاوة النور نفسه. كانت بركة تغمرنا مع وداع المساء .
...عدت إلى وسط الغرفة، كانت الفتيات يتحدثن ونحن نستمع إليهن مبتسمين حين.. حين.. حين دوّت صيحة فظيعة في الحقول الوديعة، صرخة يأس وموت :
الغارون ! الغارون !
إنّه الفيضان "
téléchargement de photos
الفيضان تلك القصة القصيرة المأساة.. رائعة إميل زولا.. والتي تتوقف فيها القلوب وتدمع فيها العيون. استلهم زولا هذه القصة من أحداث فيضانات وقعت سنة 1875 .
...عدت إلى وسط الغرفة، كانت الفتيات يتحدثن ونحن نستمع إليهن مبتسمين حين.. حين.. حين دوّت صيحة فظيعة في الحقول الوديعة، صرخة يأس وموت :
الغارون ! الغارون !
إنّه الفيضان "
téléchargement de photos
الفيضان تلك القصة القصيرة المأساة.. رائعة إميل زولا.. والتي تتوقف فيها القلوب وتدمع فيها العيون. استلهم زولا هذه القصة من أحداث فيضانات وقعت سنة 1875 .
October 3, 2024
In this heartrending tragedy, Louis Roubieu, the patriarch of the family, recounts the story of the flooding of the river Garonne, remembering the blissful and prosperous past and lamenting his losses and the ruins left behind.
The style of the storytelling and the setting reminded me so much of Chekhov’s stories. While reading, I had to remind myself often that the village was in France and the peasants weren’t Russian but French.
The style of the storytelling and the setting reminded me so much of Chekhov’s stories. While reading, I had to remind myself often that the village was in France and the peasants weren’t Russian but French.
November 17, 2017
Readathon 2017 24/26: Ένα βιβλίο με λιγότερες από 100 σελίδες
Η τραγική ιστορία του Λουί Ρουμπιέ την στιγμή της υπερχείλισης του ποταμού Γαρούνα. 70 σελίδες που νιώθεις την απόγνωση, τον τρόμο, την θλίψη, την ανάγκη για επιβίωση ή ακόμα και την παραίτηση που βιώνει ο Λουί και η οικογένεια του σε ένα 8ωρο απόλυτης καταστροφής....
Update βαθμολογίας: Ξέρετε κάτι??? 5 αστέρια και λίγα είναι..
Υ.Γ. Δεν μου αρέσουν τα διηγήματα.... αλλά είναι το 2ο που διαβάζω μέσα σε 2 μέρες... άρα βρε λες???
Η τραγική ιστορία του Λουί Ρουμπιέ την στιγμή της υπερχείλισης του ποταμού Γαρούνα. 70 σελίδες που νιώθεις την απόγνωση, τον τρόμο, την θλίψη, την ανάγκη για επιβίωση ή ακόμα και την παραίτηση που βιώνει ο Λουί και η οικογένεια του σε ένα 8ωρο απόλυτης καταστροφής....
Update βαθμολογίας: Ξέρετε κάτι??? 5 αστέρια και λίγα είναι..
Υ.Γ. Δεν μου αρέσουν τα διηγήματα.... αλλά είναι το 2ο που διαβάζω μέσα σε 2 μέρες... άρα βρε λες???
April 1, 2021
I kept on scratching my head after finishing this book. My forefinger and middle finger drumming on my skull and a new sort of disconcerting bewilderment in my eyes!
This drumming was at once followed by the faint clanking of a loosely stitched steel button on my cuff which was vibrating with the tapping of my fingers generating a piece of harmonious music reaching to my eardrums. I must have been looking like a long-grey-beard crazy boffin inside his laboratory underground after an unusual result coming out of his experiment.
The reason is not that I did not understand the story, it was plain and realistic, but rather after finishing it and rummaging all my physical bookshelves and digital archives I have, I found that I had not one bit of Zola under my already-read docket. What does that mean? That means this was my first work of Zola! I couldn’t believe this. I was under the wrong impression that I had read Zola earlier and I was trying hard to track down what was that. But I found none. So whatever may be the case, I must tell that here in this story I liked his writing style and the way he has fast-moved his story. I am going to do a lot of French bookish activities this year and I think I am going fair. I had read a few stories here and there in past years and have not marked them down; I will try to make things more structured.
A 70 years old rich farmer named Louis Roubein is the narrator of this story. He boasts about the blessing and happiness and affluence, he and his family have gained at the beginning of the story
“Our house seemed blessed, happiness reigned there.
Oh! The good days! Our farm sang from every corner.”
Then on one mayday, there was a considerable talk about the heavy rains of the past few days from the neighborhood. But this family head was confident that as long as the river did not overflow its banks, they have nothing to worry about. They console each other that nothing will happen, it’s, all the same, every year. The river becomes furious in the day and calms down at night.
When they were talking, a cry was heard from outside and they see through the window that two men and a woman with a child in her arm are crying, emerging from the side of the poplars, running in long strides. Initially, they couldn’t understand the reason for their fear as there was not a leaf moving. While they were just thinking there appeared like a pack of wild beasts speckled with yellow, coming from all directions, the crowding waves and a mass of foaming water shaking the roots on the ground with thundering gallops of their flock.
And here was the turn of this family to send the despairing cry now.
“Quick! quick! We must get into the house. Take refuge upstairs.”
Now the rest of the story, as you can perceive is about a devastating flood in the place.
There was an exclamation with a shriek with this word “Garonne! Garonne!” when those two men and a woman were crying running there.
I first thought it was the name of some person, but I came to know then that it’s the name of the river in France around which this story has been told. I learned that this river has been flooding and devouring lives since old age and the story mentioned is based on reality.
Zola has written it at a very nice pace and the most important thing I noticed is the description style of the author. He says the entire thing happening there in a very precise and unambiguous manner, thus the reader moves to the next sequence at full tilt, leaving nothing behind except the footmarks of the continuity in the plot. The story is very realistic and has not left scope for the happy ending. Characters play real most of the time and at times were portrayed a bit more adventurous very common in a usual work of fiction but their culmination was brutally realistic.
A good experience with the author and an edification too for me.
My French list is thriving this year with Zola included in it now.
This drumming was at once followed by the faint clanking of a loosely stitched steel button on my cuff which was vibrating with the tapping of my fingers generating a piece of harmonious music reaching to my eardrums. I must have been looking like a long-grey-beard crazy boffin inside his laboratory underground after an unusual result coming out of his experiment.
The reason is not that I did not understand the story, it was plain and realistic, but rather after finishing it and rummaging all my physical bookshelves and digital archives I have, I found that I had not one bit of Zola under my already-read docket. What does that mean? That means this was my first work of Zola! I couldn’t believe this. I was under the wrong impression that I had read Zola earlier and I was trying hard to track down what was that. But I found none. So whatever may be the case, I must tell that here in this story I liked his writing style and the way he has fast-moved his story. I am going to do a lot of French bookish activities this year and I think I am going fair. I had read a few stories here and there in past years and have not marked them down; I will try to make things more structured.
A 70 years old rich farmer named Louis Roubein is the narrator of this story. He boasts about the blessing and happiness and affluence, he and his family have gained at the beginning of the story
“Our house seemed blessed, happiness reigned there.
Oh! The good days! Our farm sang from every corner.”
Then on one mayday, there was a considerable talk about the heavy rains of the past few days from the neighborhood. But this family head was confident that as long as the river did not overflow its banks, they have nothing to worry about. They console each other that nothing will happen, it’s, all the same, every year. The river becomes furious in the day and calms down at night.
When they were talking, a cry was heard from outside and they see through the window that two men and a woman with a child in her arm are crying, emerging from the side of the poplars, running in long strides. Initially, they couldn’t understand the reason for their fear as there was not a leaf moving. While they were just thinking there appeared like a pack of wild beasts speckled with yellow, coming from all directions, the crowding waves and a mass of foaming water shaking the roots on the ground with thundering gallops of their flock.
And here was the turn of this family to send the despairing cry now.
“Quick! quick! We must get into the house. Take refuge upstairs.”
Now the rest of the story, as you can perceive is about a devastating flood in the place.
There was an exclamation with a shriek with this word “Garonne! Garonne!” when those two men and a woman were crying running there.
I first thought it was the name of some person, but I came to know then that it’s the name of the river in France around which this story has been told. I learned that this river has been flooding and devouring lives since old age and the story mentioned is based on reality.
Zola has written it at a very nice pace and the most important thing I noticed is the description style of the author. He says the entire thing happening there in a very precise and unambiguous manner, thus the reader moves to the next sequence at full tilt, leaving nothing behind except the footmarks of the continuity in the plot. The story is very realistic and has not left scope for the happy ending. Characters play real most of the time and at times were portrayed a bit more adventurous very common in a usual work of fiction but their culmination was brutally realistic.
A good experience with the author and an edification too for me.
My French list is thriving this year with Zola included in it now.
May 17, 2024
2023/86
I look at them, and I weep.
When I read these final lines, I also wept, Zola; thanks, I guess. No, but seriously, I was just finishing my leg workout, and I was feeling so exhausted that I didn't know whether I was crying because of the routine or because of the whole story I'd just listened to. This is something I call 'the Zola effect' which is quite simple yet effective: reading a Zola story knowing that will make you feel sad or hopeless but still doing it due to his superb narrative and realistic portrayal of people's miseries. Speaking of people's sorrows, I believe this is another reason for you to read any Zola's book: sometimes when you are having a bad moment or, for instance, you are undergoing a stressful day, go and pick up one of his books. Maybe you are not going to solve your own difficulties, but reading about other people's troubles might help you realize you are not alone in this world and that you are not the only one who is facing a difficult situation. I also like to remember that quote from The Sorrows of Young Werther that says And thou, good soul, who sufferest the same distress as he endured once, draw comfort from his sorrows; and let this little book be thy friend, if, owing to fortune or through thine own fault, thou canst not find a dearer companion, because at the end of the day, that's what a book—a story—might be for us now and then: a companion, a friend when you don't find anyone to rely on.
The Flood is by no means a happy story. In only six chapters and less than an hour, you'll join the patriarch of a family who will experience the most terrible day of his life due to a natural disaster. It is a very straightforward tale, yet the author manages to describe every single scene so vividly and realistically that you can almost feel the pain and horror that the characters experience from beginning to end. That said, I don't think this is the most heartbreaking Zola's story I have read so far—perhaps The Drinking Den was still more difficult to 'digest,' so to speak, as you see those difficult and painful situations the protagonist is going through—but, because of its length, it is definitely the one that has affected me the most.
As some of you might know, I live near the coast in Veracruz, Mexico, which is a zone prone to hurricanes, and we also know that the hurricane season is basically around the corner, as a matter of fact, it has already started; however, we haven't had any difficulties regarding this situation thus far. We were not lucky in 2021, though, when a category 3 hurricane made landfall in this area and had devastating consequences for so many people. The same thing happened in 2007, but it was even worse knowing that a category 4 hurricane also destroyed many towns and left many cities without electricity and food for weeks. So, every time the hurricane season comes, we need to be prepared for whatever might occur in the next couple of months. I just hope we, my family and the people who live in disaster-prone areas, don't have to endure experiences such as the one depicted in The Flood, and that if it happens otherwise—because the power of nature should never be underestimated—we can be strong enough to overcome such situations.
My rating on a scale of 1 to 5:
Quality of writing [4/5]
Pace [4/5]
Plot development [4/5]
Characters [3/5]
Enjoyability [4/5]
Insightfulness [4.5/5]
Easy of reading [4/5]
Photos/Illustrations [N/A]
Total [27.5/7] = 3.92
I look at them, and I weep.
When I read these final lines, I also wept, Zola; thanks, I guess. No, but seriously, I was just finishing my leg workout, and I was feeling so exhausted that I didn't know whether I was crying because of the routine or because of the whole story I'd just listened to. This is something I call 'the Zola effect' which is quite simple yet effective: reading a Zola story knowing that will make you feel sad or hopeless but still doing it due to his superb narrative and realistic portrayal of people's miseries. Speaking of people's sorrows, I believe this is another reason for you to read any Zola's book: sometimes when you are having a bad moment or, for instance, you are undergoing a stressful day, go and pick up one of his books. Maybe you are not going to solve your own difficulties, but reading about other people's troubles might help you realize you are not alone in this world and that you are not the only one who is facing a difficult situation. I also like to remember that quote from The Sorrows of Young Werther that says And thou, good soul, who sufferest the same distress as he endured once, draw comfort from his sorrows; and let this little book be thy friend, if, owing to fortune or through thine own fault, thou canst not find a dearer companion, because at the end of the day, that's what a book—a story—might be for us now and then: a companion, a friend when you don't find anyone to rely on.
The Flood is by no means a happy story. In only six chapters and less than an hour, you'll join the patriarch of a family who will experience the most terrible day of his life due to a natural disaster. It is a very straightforward tale, yet the author manages to describe every single scene so vividly and realistically that you can almost feel the pain and horror that the characters experience from beginning to end. That said, I don't think this is the most heartbreaking Zola's story I have read so far—perhaps The Drinking Den was still more difficult to 'digest,' so to speak, as you see those difficult and painful situations the protagonist is going through—but, because of its length, it is definitely the one that has affected me the most.
As some of you might know, I live near the coast in Veracruz, Mexico, which is a zone prone to hurricanes, and we also know that the hurricane season is basically around the corner, as a matter of fact, it has already started; however, we haven't had any difficulties regarding this situation thus far. We were not lucky in 2021, though, when a category 3 hurricane made landfall in this area and had devastating consequences for so many people. The same thing happened in 2007, but it was even worse knowing that a category 4 hurricane also destroyed many towns and left many cities without electricity and food for weeks. So, every time the hurricane season comes, we need to be prepared for whatever might occur in the next couple of months. I just hope we, my family and the people who live in disaster-prone areas, don't have to endure experiences such as the one depicted in The Flood, and that if it happens otherwise—because the power of nature should never be underestimated—we can be strong enough to overcome such situations.
My rating on a scale of 1 to 5:
Quality of writing [4/5]
Pace [4/5]
Plot development [4/5]
Characters [3/5]
Enjoyability [4/5]
Insightfulness [4.5/5]
Easy of reading [4/5]
Photos/Illustrations [N/A]
Total [27.5/7] = 3.92
August 12, 2016
Description: Then the water began an attack. Until then the stream had followed the street; but the debris that encumbered it deflected the course. And when a drifting object, a beam, came within reach of the current, it seized it and directed it against the house like a battering-ram. Soon ten, a dozen, beams were attacking us on all sides. The water roared. Our feet were spattered with foam. We heard the dull moaning of the house full of water. There were moments when the attacks became frenzied, when the beams battered fiercely; and then we thought that the end was near, that the walls would open and deliver us to the river.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAdJi...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAdJi...
June 17, 2017
Bu ay hep daha önce okumadığım yazarlara öncelik verdim. Böylece uzun zamandır aklımda olan kitaplara da el atmış oldum.
Sel yorumuna güvendiğim bir arkadaşımın önerisi üzerine aldığım bir kitaptı. Emile Zola ile tanışma kitabım olan bu kısa öykü (her ne kadar uzun öykü olarak kategorize edilsede oldukça kısaydı) gerçek bir olaya dayanmaktaymış.
Sağanak yağmurlardan sonra Garonne Nehri taşıyor ve bir kasabada sel baskını sonucu yüzlerce kişi hayatını kaybediyor. Ailesiyle birlikte yaşayan ve köyün en zengin çiftçisi olan Büyükbaba Louis Rouben'in başından geçenleri Emile Zola'nın şahane anlatımı ile okuyoruz. Olayın gerçekleştiği günün sabahında ekinlerden umutlu, kendisini Tanrı ile anlaşma yapmış gibi şanslı hisseden büyükbaba ertesi güne her şeyini kaybetmiş bir şekilde başlıyor.
Emile Zola'nın anlatımını çok sevdim. Bütün kitaplarını edinmek istiyorum en kısa zamanda. Yazarın en bilinen kitaplarından değil Sel. Hatta pek bilinen bir kitapta değil sanırım. (Emin değilim belkide biliniyordur ama ben okuyanı görmedim. ) Yazarla tanışmak için iyi bir kitap olabilir diye düşünüyorum zira maksimum bir saatinizi alacak ama sizi etkileyecek bir eser.
Sel yorumuna güvendiğim bir arkadaşımın önerisi üzerine aldığım bir kitaptı. Emile Zola ile tanışma kitabım olan bu kısa öykü (her ne kadar uzun öykü olarak kategorize edilsede oldukça kısaydı) gerçek bir olaya dayanmaktaymış.
Sağanak yağmurlardan sonra Garonne Nehri taşıyor ve bir kasabada sel baskını sonucu yüzlerce kişi hayatını kaybediyor. Ailesiyle birlikte yaşayan ve köyün en zengin çiftçisi olan Büyükbaba Louis Rouben'in başından geçenleri Emile Zola'nın şahane anlatımı ile okuyoruz. Olayın gerçekleştiği günün sabahında ekinlerden umutlu, kendisini Tanrı ile anlaşma yapmış gibi şanslı hisseden büyükbaba ertesi güne her şeyini kaybetmiş bir şekilde başlıyor.
Emile Zola'nın anlatımını çok sevdim. Bütün kitaplarını edinmek istiyorum en kısa zamanda. Yazarın en bilinen kitaplarından değil Sel. Hatta pek bilinen bir kitapta değil sanırım. (Emin değilim belkide biliniyordur ama ben okuyanı görmedim. ) Yazarla tanışmak için iyi bir kitap olabilir diye düşünüyorum zira maksimum bir saatinizi alacak ama sizi etkileyecek bir eser.
September 20, 2024
Powerful writing about a devastating flood.
January 24, 2015
This novella, a work of fiction, is based on a real event. In June of 1875 in Toulouse, France, the Garonne River, after heavy rains, flooded the town killing hundreds. Grandfather Louis Rouben, who lives with his family, his children and grandchildren, and his brother and sister, is a successful farm owner with a large home. When cries of "The Garonne!, The Garonne"!, are heard throughout the town, the people barely have time to scramble to the upper floors of their homes. What happens is told in Zola's classic style and is vividly and brutally descriptive. Zola shows no mercy for the characters in this story or any of his stories for that matter. Zola's writing is brilliant as usual, it's easy to see why he is considered a major literary figure in the 19th century.
November 6, 2019
Ένα μικρό διήγημα που αρχίζει και τελειώνει με τον πρωινό καφέ, τι καλύτερο;
Ο Ζολά πάντα παραμένει πρώτος και σημαντικότερος εκ των νατουραλιστών. Προσωπικά, κανένας στο ρεύμα δεν τον ξεπέρασε στην ικανότητα του να χτίζει με φοβερή ένταση την αφήγηση του, έχοντας μια ποιότητα στην απεικόνιση της πραγματικότητας τόσο προσωπική που κάνει τα κείμενά του ιδιαίτερα αναγνωρίσιμα. Ίσως ένας Ντε Μωπασσάν να τον πλησιάζει, παρόλο που ο δεύτερος μπήκε γρηγορότερα στα σαλόνια της ακαδημαϊκής τέχνης, ακόμα και άθελα του.
Στην "Πλημμύρα", ένα διήγημα 61 σελίδων, ο Ζολά αφήνει κληρονομιά του πόσο σημαντικό είναι στη συγγραφή να κάνεις διαχείριση χώρου. Το βιβλίο είναι ξεκάθαρα page-turner, αφού χτίζει μια τραγωδία φυσικής καταστροφής (το πως η πλημμύρα του ποταμού Γαρούνα της νότιας Γαλλίας ισοπεδώνει, μεταξύ άλλων, μια ευτυχισμένη οικογένεια) που κλιμακώνεται και φτάνει σε ένα θλιβερό και ισοπεδωτικό φινάλε, αμείλικτο για τον αναγνώστη που καταφέρνει να συνδεθεί με τους πρωταγωνιστές και την αγωνία, τον τρόμο και την απελπισία τους τόσο γρήγορα. Και εκεί έγκειται η ποιότητα του συγγραφέα. Όπως πάντα, ποιότητα>ποσότητα.
Σκληρό βιβλίο,λεπτομερής απόδοση της βίας (έστω και αν εδώ δεν είναι ανθρώπινη), απουσία διαλόγων. Ο Λουί Ρουμπιέ, αφηγητής και πρωταγωνιστής, δίνει την υπόθεση σε πλάγιο λόγο κατά 90%, αφήνοντας μόνο ελάχιστα αποσπάσματα στις πιο κρίσιμες σκηνές αυτούσιες μεταφορές από ο,τι έχει ειπωθεί.
Άξια προετοιμασία "Η πλημμύρα" για το "Στομάχι του Παρισιού" που έρχεται σύντομα. 2.8e η τιμή, ασυζητητί αγορά.
Ο Ζολά πάντα παραμένει πρώτος και σημαντικότερος εκ των νατουραλιστών. Προσωπικά, κανένας στο ρεύμα δεν τον ξεπέρασε στην ικανότητα του να χτίζει με φοβερή ένταση την αφήγηση του, έχοντας μια ποιότητα στην απεικόνιση της πραγματικότητας τόσο προσωπική που κάνει τα κείμενά του ιδιαίτερα αναγνωρίσιμα. Ίσως ένας Ντε Μωπασσάν να τον πλησιάζει, παρόλο που ο δεύτερος μπήκε γρηγορότερα στα σαλόνια της ακαδημαϊκής τέχνης, ακόμα και άθελα του.
Στην "Πλημμύρα", ένα διήγημα 61 σελίδων, ο Ζολά αφήνει κληρονομιά του πόσο σημαντικό είναι στη συγγραφή να κάνεις διαχείριση χώρου. Το βιβλίο είναι ξεκάθαρα page-turner, αφού χτίζει μια τραγωδία φυσικής καταστροφής (το πως η πλημμύρα του ποταμού Γαρούνα της νότιας Γαλλίας ισοπεδώνει, μεταξύ άλλων, μια ευτυχισμένη οικογένεια) που κλιμακώνεται και φτάνει σε ένα θλιβερό και ισοπεδωτικό φινάλε, αμείλικτο για τον αναγνώστη που καταφέρνει να συνδεθεί με τους πρωταγωνιστές και την αγωνία, τον τρόμο και την απελπισία τους τόσο γρήγορα. Και εκεί έγκειται η ποιότητα του συγγραφέα. Όπως πάντα, ποιότητα>ποσότητα.
Σκληρό βιβλίο,λεπτομερής απόδοση της βίας (έστω και αν εδώ δεν είναι ανθρώπινη), απουσία διαλόγων. Ο Λουί Ρουμπιέ, αφηγητής και πρωταγωνιστής, δίνει την υπόθεση σε πλάγιο λόγο κατά 90%, αφήνοντας μόνο ελάχιστα αποσπάσματα στις πιο κρίσιμες σκηνές αυτούσιες μεταφορές από ο,τι έχει ειπωθεί.
Άξια προετοιμασία "Η πλημμύρα" για το "Στομάχι του Παρισιού" που έρχεται σύντομα. 2.8e η τιμή, ασυζητητί αγορά.
May 30, 2020
It is based on a true event when a river near Toulouse was overflowed and the was a flood. As a result many people died. In this book we read about a whole family dying and only one person was lucky to be alive. While reading this book you feel as if you are with them struggling for the lives. I plan to read more of Zola's works.
April 14, 2015
Our country is not immune from any strong tropical storms since it is located near the Pacific Ocean where typhoons that usually hit the eastern parts of Asia develop. In October 2013, the world was appalled to hear the news that the super typhoon Yolanda, Haiyan for its international name, completely devastated and wreaked wide havoc all over the southeastern region of our country. Thousands of lives were lost and billion pesos worth of properties was destroyed. Thereupon, many countries from all over the world expressed sympathies by donating billion dollars and offering solemn prayers. Grossly disappointing, concerned critics from different civil society have been vociferating that the large amount of money must have been stolen by the corrupt government officials because until now the areas affected have not been rendered full assistance and services.
This horrible, ghastly disaster is no longer new to us Filipinos. In fact, many typhoons, although not stronger than Yolanda, have dashed against our hopes and left unhealed wounds in our hearts because of the aftermaths they brought about. One of these is flooding.
The residents in Metro Manila will never forget the typhoon Ondoy in 2009. One of the scenes indelible in our minds that was broadcast on TV was when the Pasig River dividing two separate areas of the same city inundated. Almost all the cities in the National Capital Region were paralyzed by this. Many people were stranded and not able to go home from their work nor meet their families.
Our family is fortunate that our city is not prone to this kind of disaster because the city is mountainous. So, I am glad that I have never gone through this kind of experience yet. Gee whiz! I do not want to get sick of posttraumatic stress disorder. However, I am still worried that our city may sink as do other adjacent cities in the next generation since the global warming is now at the eleventh hour.
The Flood is a true story. Emile Zola drew the inspiration from the flood happened in Toulouse , France.
It appears that Zola knew how it feels to be a victim of flooding. He must have been one of the victims at that time that he was able to put his suppressed feelings into such a masterpiece. That is why the story is well written. The scenes are so perfectly depicted that they sent shivers up and down my spine . Besides, the writing style is traditional, which I like in classics. However, the first plot vividly depicted prior to the flood sounds to be slapdash as though I was left hanging , for I had wanted to keep glowered and bask in a happy typical of a family as well as the optimistic spirit among the characters- the real situation experienced by the victims before the disaster . Furthermore, the story does not tell where the flood originates . Just it happens when someone shouts, “ The Garonne! The Garonne! “
On the other hand, I appreciated the ending. As how a disaster begins, it will run its due course when the sky clears and the water calms down , a vast scenery of death will open to you- a nightmarish reality of life.
We cannot deny the fact that force of the Nature is so powerful that the face of the Earth could almost be exterminated; that however means of effort we make , this so-called natural phenomena is uncontrollable. For some, it could be an act of God . Be that as it may, but we must always keep in mind that , somehow, to be in good harmony with the Nature is to be MORE RESPONSIBLE for it. Sadly, we still fall ourselves into the abyss of avarice and ignorance.
Think about our grandchildren in the future.
This horrible, ghastly disaster is no longer new to us Filipinos. In fact, many typhoons, although not stronger than Yolanda, have dashed against our hopes and left unhealed wounds in our hearts because of the aftermaths they brought about. One of these is flooding.
The residents in Metro Manila will never forget the typhoon Ondoy in 2009. One of the scenes indelible in our minds that was broadcast on TV was when the Pasig River dividing two separate areas of the same city inundated. Almost all the cities in the National Capital Region were paralyzed by this. Many people were stranded and not able to go home from their work nor meet their families.
Our family is fortunate that our city is not prone to this kind of disaster because the city is mountainous. So, I am glad that I have never gone through this kind of experience yet. Gee whiz! I do not want to get sick of posttraumatic stress disorder. However, I am still worried that our city may sink as do other adjacent cities in the next generation since the global warming is now at the eleventh hour.
The Flood is a true story. Emile Zola drew the inspiration from the flood happened in Toulouse , France.
It appears that Zola knew how it feels to be a victim of flooding. He must have been one of the victims at that time that he was able to put his suppressed feelings into such a masterpiece. That is why the story is well written. The scenes are so perfectly depicted that they sent shivers up and down my spine . Besides, the writing style is traditional, which I like in classics. However, the first plot vividly depicted prior to the flood sounds to be slapdash as though I was left hanging , for I had wanted to keep glowered and bask in a happy typical of a family as well as the optimistic spirit among the characters- the real situation experienced by the victims before the disaster . Furthermore, the story does not tell where the flood originates . Just it happens when someone shouts, “ The Garonne! The Garonne! “
On the other hand, I appreciated the ending. As how a disaster begins, it will run its due course when the sky clears and the water calms down , a vast scenery of death will open to you- a nightmarish reality of life.
We cannot deny the fact that force of the Nature is so powerful that the face of the Earth could almost be exterminated; that however means of effort we make , this so-called natural phenomena is uncontrollable. For some, it could be an act of God . Be that as it may, but we must always keep in mind that , somehow, to be in good harmony with the Nature is to be MORE RESPONSIBLE for it. Sadly, we still fall ourselves into the abyss of avarice and ignorance.
Think about our grandchildren in the future.
April 6, 2015
Zola just knows how to get me. Depressing and wonderfully written.
February 11, 2013
A rather brief and wonderfully written tale, but oh my god its depressing. Its sadder than sad itself just about the saddest tale ever. An old man sees it all in one day, prosperity, fortune, happiness; then suddenly sadness, pain, suffering and death...
Oh my god, I guess one is reminded of how fragile material things and life itself is...
Oh my god, I guess one is reminded of how fragile material things and life itself is...
May 25, 2017
Διάβασα "την πλημμύρα" σε μετάφραση απο τις εκδόσεις Ποικίλη Στοά. Όποιος είναι θαυμαστής κ αναγνώστης του Emile Zola σίγουρα αυτό το βιβλίο δεν θα τον αφήσει αδιάφορο. Για ακόμα μια φορά χτίζει κ αποδομεί τους ήρωές του ο συγγραφέας. Από την χαρά περνούν στο θρήνο. Από τον πλούτο στην φτώχεια. Κι εδώ με αυτές τις δύο λέξεις δεν νοούνται μόνο τα πλούτη, περιλαμβάνεται καθετί που ο άνθρωπος οφείλει την ευημερία του ψυχική σε σωματική. Διαβάζοντας τις τελευταίες σελίδες το μυαλό μου πήγε στην Φεγγαροντυμένη στο "Κρητικό" του Σολωμού που εμφανίζεται στον αγαπημένο της... μια ανάλογη εικόνα καλλιεργείται κ στην Πλημμύρα του Ζολά.
September 27, 2017
Toplam 50 sayfalık iri puntolarla yazılmış bir öykü kitabı, başladığınız gibi bitiveriyor. Edebi yönü çok kuvvetli, gerçek bir olaydan esinlenmiş, sel gibi bir doğa felaketini olağanüstü yalın ve gerçekçi anlatıyor Zola. Kalın bir kitap okuduktan sonra dinlenmek için okunacak iyi bir kitap, sonu üzücü olsa da....
August 27, 2016
You can read full review here
“Everything was misty. It was the terrified end of a day melting into the night of death.”
Depressing, quite depressing.
This story is based on the 1875 flood of the Garonne River in Toulouse, France and as it was reported nearly 3000 lives were lost. This event inspired Zola to write this short story, The Flood, which is set in the village of Saint-Jory.
It’s a story of a seventy year old farmer, Louis Roubien, who lives with his family: his brothers, grandchildren, sisters and his children.
Zola tells how Roubien family, after struggling for very long period of time finally tastes prosperity and become one of the richest family(or maybe the only richest family) in the village. They own vast lands that they use for farming and cattle farms and how they have it all in abundance. When the story begins, it is shown that this is their best year.
To quote Roubien:”For fourteen years I battled with the earth for my daily bread. At last, prosperity smiled on we, and last month I was still the richest farmer in the parish. Our house seemed blessed, happiness resigned here. The sun was our brother, and I cannot recall a bad crop.”
Zola used powerful imagery to describe the beauty of the village, of setting sun and imagery which ensue peace.
“The sky was blue, an immense blue sheet of profound purity, in which the rays of the setting sun were like a golden dust. Never had I seen the village drowsing in so sweet a peace.”
But then the evening transcended to the blind wrath of nature and it’s beauty turned itself into a devil that brought destruction and death for the villagers.
And the events that followed it were quite disturbing for me. Death engulfed everyone one by one and throughout the night, they faced loss.
In the hour of darkness, Zola through his story portrays, fear and desperation to get out of the clench of death and how in the hours of destruction individuals show their heroism, and do everything to save their loved ones.
Louis lost his whole family by the break of dawn and he felt pure loss as a single night took away everything from him: his family, his prosperity and happiness. And he was so weak that he couldn’t do anything and there he was left all alone mourning his loss.
“Then nothing, nothing, a black pit, oblivion.”
I loved the story and totally worth reading.
“Everything was misty. It was the terrified end of a day melting into the night of death.”
Depressing, quite depressing.
This story is based on the 1875 flood of the Garonne River in Toulouse, France and as it was reported nearly 3000 lives were lost. This event inspired Zola to write this short story, The Flood, which is set in the village of Saint-Jory.
It’s a story of a seventy year old farmer, Louis Roubien, who lives with his family: his brothers, grandchildren, sisters and his children.
Zola tells how Roubien family, after struggling for very long period of time finally tastes prosperity and become one of the richest family(or maybe the only richest family) in the village. They own vast lands that they use for farming and cattle farms and how they have it all in abundance. When the story begins, it is shown that this is their best year.
To quote Roubien:”For fourteen years I battled with the earth for my daily bread. At last, prosperity smiled on we, and last month I was still the richest farmer in the parish. Our house seemed blessed, happiness resigned here. The sun was our brother, and I cannot recall a bad crop.”
Zola used powerful imagery to describe the beauty of the village, of setting sun and imagery which ensue peace.
“The sky was blue, an immense blue sheet of profound purity, in which the rays of the setting sun were like a golden dust. Never had I seen the village drowsing in so sweet a peace.”
But then the evening transcended to the blind wrath of nature and it’s beauty turned itself into a devil that brought destruction and death for the villagers.
And the events that followed it were quite disturbing for me. Death engulfed everyone one by one and throughout the night, they faced loss.
In the hour of darkness, Zola through his story portrays, fear and desperation to get out of the clench of death and how in the hours of destruction individuals show their heroism, and do everything to save their loved ones.
Louis lost his whole family by the break of dawn and he felt pure loss as a single night took away everything from him: his family, his prosperity and happiness. And he was so weak that he couldn’t do anything and there he was left all alone mourning his loss.
“Then nothing, nothing, a black pit, oblivion.”
I loved the story and totally worth reading.
February 16, 2016
Based on the 1875 flood of the Garonne River in Toulouse, France, in this novella patriarch, Louis Roubien, and his close-knit extended family live on a farm which, after many years, had finally achieved prosperity when surprise, urgency, and despair reached its borders as water overtook their land and home. The writer concisely conveys the tragic events and emotions experienced by his family. The story leaves the reader with a sympathetic reminder of those in history who have helplessly fallen victim to such sudden natural disasters.
December 8, 2009
Another name for this novel: "Depress Thyself".
Classic Zola in short novel form. Definitely not one of my favorite works by him, but pretty good nonetheless if you want to experience sorrow and loss to the same extent as every bad thing that happens in Germinal...
I'm not saying that one should read Zola to be depressed by any means. Just be sure to take your Prozac before you do so...
Classic Zola in short novel form. Definitely not one of my favorite works by him, but pretty good nonetheless if you want to experience sorrow and loss to the same extent as every bad thing that happens in Germinal...
I'm not saying that one should read Zola to be depressed by any means. Just be sure to take your Prozac before you do so...
July 16, 2010
Another cheery tale from Zola. I enjoy them that way
July 30, 2020
Ο Ζολά συγκλονίζει με τα πραγματικά γεγονότα του 1875 (τις φονικές πλημμύρες που προκάλεσε η υπερχείλιση του ποταμού Γαρούνα) που χρησιμοποιεί σαν βάση του διηγήματός του, ωστόσο δεν μπορεί να 'συγκρατήσει' την σοβαρότητα των γεγονότων μόνο στο νατουραλιστικό τους πλαίσιο με αποτέλεσμα το ύφος να γίνεται υπερβολικά δραματικό, ειδικά, προς το τέλος της ιστορίας.
Βαθμολογία: 3,8/5 ή 7,6/10.
Θα γίνει και εκτενέστερη κριτική.
Βαθμολογία: 3,8/5 ή 7,6/10.
Θα γίνει και εκτενέστερη κριτική.
August 27, 2025
Comme c'est pesant cette lecture ! Alors, oui, j'aurais dû m'y attendre vu la thématique. Et avec Zola derrière la plume, j'aurais également pu m'attendre à ce que les détails les plus terribles ne soient pas épargnés. Malgré tout il n'en ressort pas un sentiment de dégoût pour ce récit, et sans doute qu'elle me marquera longtemps...
July 10, 2023
Absolutely loved this one! I'm not so familiar with French writers, but I was genuinely pleasantly surprised.
This book is actually 3 long(er) independent stories that follow the human experience of a handful of characters experiencing a very dark turn of events.
A page turner and a must-read for anyone looking to "dip their toes" into dark realism.
This book is actually 3 long(er) independent stories that follow the human experience of a handful of characters experiencing a very dark turn of events.
A page turner and a must-read for anyone looking to "dip their toes" into dark realism.
September 2, 2019
This was my first, momentary foray into the foremost pioneer of literary naturalism. Lucid and balanced, this brilliantly translated volume contains three captivating yet highly unpretentious short stories (two of which - the titular tale, an extremely prescient eco-horror story, the other an interesting cross between an anti-war battlefield tale and a surrealist, deeply macabre re-run of Les-Trois-Petita-Cochons with biblical proportions - constitute something of a stylistic departure, or so the translator believes).
The third and final tale is historical fiction precisely as it should be: lean and immersive.
Easily three of the finest short stories I’ve ever read. No one weaves allegory quite like Zola.
The third and final tale is historical fiction precisely as it should be: lean and immersive.
Easily three of the finest short stories I’ve ever read. No one weaves allegory quite like Zola.
August 28, 2016
In this short story Zola delves into determinism, through the power of nature. As the name suggests, the river Garrone overflows and causes a flood. The unsuspecting Roubien family, who are sat eating beforehand, have their lives changed as the flood engulfs.
Raw, pure, and indifferent. Naturalism at its finest.
Raw, pure, and indifferent. Naturalism at its finest.
Want to read
January 29, 2016Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
The original French text is available at La Bibliothèque électronique du Québec.
The original French text is available at La Bibliothèque électronique du Québec.
July 18, 2011
DEPRESSING: A grandfather watches as his entire family gets caught up in a flood. :(
December 27, 2011
Like an anti Book of Job
July 22, 2021
Favori edebiyatçılarımdan Zola'nın gerçeğe dayalı bu öyküsünü sel sularının sesini, yükselişini, endişe, korku ve üzüntüyü felaketi yaşarmışcasına hissederek okudum.
October 28, 2021
[Unfortunately, the majority of the following involves an inescapable ‘spoiler’ of the major points of the plot.]
In minute detail, as harrowing as it is inexorable, this 1880 short story recounts the natural disaster of the title which overcomes the hitherto prosperous, numerous and seemingly fortunate family of a French farmer, one Louis Roubien, who lives on the outskirts of Saint-Jory with his sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. It is a sight of truly French bonhomie when the eleven family members gather around the table for the evening meal. As Louis observes, ‘when families are united, it is so good to live and die where one has grown up.’ A new marriage of a daughter with the son of a neighbouring farmer is to be celebrated in a few short weeks and the new son-in-law to be joins in the family repast.
Then, sixty hours of continuous rain causes the nearby Garonne river to overflow its banks and as the water rises up to their house, which is built on a small rise, it keeps rising and rising. The family moves to the second floor, and when this is overwhelmed, to the roof. Individual calamities ensue in an inescapable manner despite their most heroic efforts to overcome the challenge. Most moving is the futile attempt of Gaspard, the young suitor, to swim through the torrent with his intended Veronique on his back. In their neighbourhood, 2000 houses are destroyed, 700 lives lost and 20000 find themselves starving in the aftermath. Poor Lucien loses everything: he is the only one left of his family, his house, farm buildings and crops are all gone, along with its hundreds of cattle, horses and sheep. The unbearable sadness with which he wonders at his survival, ‘like a useless weed, coarse and dried, rooted in the rock’ is truly poignant.
Somewhat similar to Conrad’s Typhoon, this work struck me as a sort of ‘one trick pony’ effort of too much concentration on one specific incident. Both of these works would have been immeasurably improved by having their climatic descriptions enfolded in a longer, broader narrative.
Still, very well done and recommended.
In minute detail, as harrowing as it is inexorable, this 1880 short story recounts the natural disaster of the title which overcomes the hitherto prosperous, numerous and seemingly fortunate family of a French farmer, one Louis Roubien, who lives on the outskirts of Saint-Jory with his sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren. It is a sight of truly French bonhomie when the eleven family members gather around the table for the evening meal. As Louis observes, ‘when families are united, it is so good to live and die where one has grown up.’ A new marriage of a daughter with the son of a neighbouring farmer is to be celebrated in a few short weeks and the new son-in-law to be joins in the family repast.
Then, sixty hours of continuous rain causes the nearby Garonne river to overflow its banks and as the water rises up to their house, which is built on a small rise, it keeps rising and rising. The family moves to the second floor, and when this is overwhelmed, to the roof. Individual calamities ensue in an inescapable manner despite their most heroic efforts to overcome the challenge. Most moving is the futile attempt of Gaspard, the young suitor, to swim through the torrent with his intended Veronique on his back. In their neighbourhood, 2000 houses are destroyed, 700 lives lost and 20000 find themselves starving in the aftermath. Poor Lucien loses everything: he is the only one left of his family, his house, farm buildings and crops are all gone, along with its hundreds of cattle, horses and sheep. The unbearable sadness with which he wonders at his survival, ‘like a useless weed, coarse and dried, rooted in the rock’ is truly poignant.
Somewhat similar to Conrad’s Typhoon, this work struck me as a sort of ‘one trick pony’ effort of too much concentration on one specific incident. Both of these works would have been immeasurably improved by having their climatic descriptions enfolded in a longer, broader narrative.
Still, very well done and recommended.
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