ThoseBeautifulFlowers -BookReview:“Camille” IreadtheChineseversionof“Camille”afewyearsago.AtthattimeIwasdeeplymovedbythemaincharacterMargueriteGautier.“Camille”or“TheLadyoftheCamellias”byAlexandreDumas,fils,isthestoryofMargueriteGautier,ayoungcourtesan,orkeptwoman,inParisinthemid1800s,andhowshefallsinlovewithayoungman,ArmandDuval,andthentriestoescapefromherquestionablepast.Unfortunately,itcomesbacktohauntherandsheendsupreturningtothatlifeanddiespainfullyandalone,butwiththeknowledgethatshewasanoblewomanatheart.WhenIfirstbegantoreadthebook,IdidnotcareforMargueriteorherattitudeorlifestyle,butasIgotfurtherintothenarrative,Irealizedthathersaucyattitudewasafronttocoverthelonelywomanthatshereallywas.Shefeltused,abusedandunloved,untilthegentleArmandDuvalcameintoherlifeandshowedherthathelovedherasapersonandnotforwhatshecoulddoforhim.ItmusthavetakengreatcourageforMargueritetoleavethelifeshehadlivedforsolong,knowingallalongthatitwasprobablytoogoodtobetrueandwouldnotlastindefinitely.AnditalsoshowedthatMargueritereallylovedArmandDuvalforshecouldevenchangeherselfforhim. However,happinessdidntlastforlong.WhenM.Duval,Armandsfather,cametoher,pleadingforhertoleaveArmandtosavebothArmandsreputationandthatofhisyoungerinnocentsister,Margueritesawawaytobecomepureofheart,ifnotinbody.Shefeltthatitwasherduty,becauseshelovedArmandsomuch,todothiseventhoughitmeantgivingupherownhappinessandhurtingArmandtemporarily.Shereluctantlyreturnedtoherformerlife,knowingthatsomedayArmandwouldforgiveher.Sadly,shediedindebtandbasicallyalone,exceptforheronefemalefriend,JulieDuprat,whohelpedherduringherillness.ShehadherjournalsenttoArmandafterherdeath,explainingwhyshehadmadethechoicesshehad.IthinkDumasslastfewlinesaboutMargueritebeingtheexception,nottherulewerequitetrue,andIalsoagreedwithhisviewthatwhileherlifestylecouldnotbecondoned,weasasocietyassumethatallofthesetypeofwomenarecoldandheartless,whilethismaynotalwaysbethecase.Apersoncanmakethewrongchoicesinlifewhentheyareyoung,andtrytoredeemthemselves,butsometimespastsituationspreventthemfromchangingtheirlives,eventhoughtheydesperatelywishtodoso.Thisappliestobothmenandwomeninmanydifferenttypesofcircumstances:involvementincrime;drugoralcoholabuse;gambling;prostitution;financialproblems;poormarriagechoices;etc.Andthisisthefact,whichexistsinthewholesociety. Asfarastheothercharactersinthebook,IthinkMargueritewasrightinsayingthatnoonetrulycaredabouther,butonlywantedsomethingfromher,theonlyexceptionsbeingArmandandJulieDuprat.Ofcourse,theComtedeG.andComtedeN.wantedherbodyandappearance.TheDukeneededto“wakeupandsmellthecoffee”andrealizethatshecouldneverreplacehisdeaddaughter.Ifhetrulycared,hecouldhavehelpedherleaveherlifestylewithout“keeping”herhimself.Andlastly,Prudencewasablood-suckingleechwhousedMargueritealmostworsethanthemen.IalsothinkshewasjealousofthefactthatMargueritehadsomuchmorecouragethanherselfandsomeonetrulylovedher. Lastmorning,whentidingmybookshelf,Itookthisbookoutoftheshelf,andadriedflowerflewawayfromthebook.Itwaspaleblue,verytransparent,withthinfineveins.adriedflowerflewawayfromthebook.Itwaspaleblue,verytransparent,withthinfineveins.Ihelditagainstthemorninglightandblewonit.Thesoftbreezecarrieditaway.Camilleisjustlikethecamellia,shecouldneverescapefromthedestinyofwithering.Butitwasntherfault;itsbecauseoftheevilofCapitalismandthehideousnessofthatsociety. Suddenly,Irememberedasaying:“Womenareliketheflowers”.Thoseprettywomenarelikethosebeautifulflowers;theirdelicatebeautymakespeoplefeeltheyarethemiracleoflife.However,eventheGodenviestheirbeauty.Itseemsthatbeautifulwomenalwayshavetragicendings.Aswearenormalpersons,evenwecanseethehideousnessofhumanitythatresultsintheirfateofwithering,wecanatmostaskquietlyinourhearts:Wherehavethosebeautifulflowersgone?Wherehavetheygone? The Lady of the Camellias is a French tragic play based on Alexandre Dumas (the younger) 1848 novel by the same name, (it is sometimes referred to as Camille). The play was adapted for the theater by Dumas in 1852 and then for the opera by the composer Verdis La Traviata in 1853. The play became a favorite of audiences in the late 19th century.The story is set in Paris durin