A+Debtor+in+Prison

__**Diary Entry #3**__ 21 December 1804 Dear Diary,

Fifteen years... A gap of fifteen years has made this diary dusty; it is reminiscent of the past turbulent years... Perhaps it was the chaotic revolution that made me completely unaware of this diary. I cannot believe myself as I write down my age: fifty-one. I have aged and underwent all the troubles and hardships from that very day I was freed until the end of the century. Monsieur Colbert is now my mari, husband. He now serves as the chief editor of a newspaper company. I feel lonely as only two of us are living in a three-storied mansion in the suburb of Paris. My only blood-related person living in France is my sister Marie, who visits me quite frequently during the weekends. She has opened several businesses of her own, living a decent life in the center of Paris. We have employed a housemaid to work for us. What might she think about us? How sad it is to have traces of the Old Regime even after the people's brave new revolution! That is why I particularly try hard to respect her, provide an optimal living environment, and give her plentiful income so that she could support her five children. My children --- phew...

A wave of memories, a flashback, occurs within my head - my assistance of the great feminist and abolitionist Olympe de Gouges, a public execution of my beloved son Valentin, the death of my poor old father, and my daughter Modestine's migration to Austria with her husband. Events that have occurred within this period are as numberless as sand... I am clueless as to how I have managed to endure all the sufferings, a chain of gruesome events that human eyes could not see. Perhaps things could have been better if it weren't for Robespierre, a man full of insanity who has forced my poor Valentin to the national razor. Nonetheless, it has been quite long since all external and internal conflicts have quelled - at least, I hope so. The 'Greater French Empire' is now led by the 'invincible General', Napoleon Bonaparte. Earlier this year he has adopted the Napoleonic Code of law, which seemingly guarantees the rights of French citizens - I mean, subjects. As expected, the rights of women are still not protected. Our property and actions are controlled and "permitted" by husbands; at least, Monsieur Colbert is the total opposite of such barbaric man. In addition, the peasants are living not much better than they used to be. Today on my way to Monsieur Colbert's workplace, I saw a poor old peasant begging for money with his son next to him. It was such a sad, touching scene that I automatically took six pieces of baguette from my basket and handed them three each.

I now spend most of my day reading books and attending social gatherings or salons. My husband and I have employed the very coachman who gave us a ride on that historical day of the storming of the Bastille. Despite his age, his humor and manners would please everyone. He is now a trustworthy acquaintance of mine, and we always have a meaningful conversation on the way to the salon. Rumor seems to have spread that my husband is retiring soon, after devoting nearly half of his lifetime into editing newspapers. When we met him last Friday, Monsieur Colbert specifically asked André Cadet to take the place of a chief editor. As Cadet is also an experienced and multitalented editor, he accepted the proposal right away with thankfulness. The truth is that he fears press freedom. He fears his position by writing any criticism on Bonaparte. He fears his mouth would be firmly taped once again. We are old anyhow. My hands shiver as I write this diary entry, and I have barely recovered from a high fever last week. These days, I am more and more vulnerable to various ailments and diseases - the clock is ticking.

I look back at the course of my entire life - not as grand or significant as I dreamed, but still one with ups and downs. Born to a poverty-stricken family, I was but a worthless woman. But I worked laboriously, and married a successful merchant. Shortly after the marriage was our family bankrupt, and I was imprisoned. Then, a great revolution liberated me, made me feel triumphant, and also filled me with grief and anger. In the past decade I have been recognized by those surrounding me - especially women who believe they deserve their own rights. Napoleon has declared himself an emperor. It is uncertain whether he would be a true revolutionary, or a despot no better than Louis XVI. France, and perhaps the rest of Europe - depends on him. My only sincere wish is that the generations of my children and grandchildren would prosper, and live a happy, comfortable, fair and worthwhile life. My life is nearing its end. The intermittent symptoms of this unknown illness are wearing me out. But as I look back upon my own life, I cannot deny one fact myself: //Life is beautiful.//

**Works Cited** Lavelle. "How Did France Change Under Napoleon?" //School History//. Www.SchoolHistory.co.uk. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. .

//Old Woman with a Muff//. National Gallery of Art, Washington. //French Unknown Master Gallery - Portrait Painting Art//. Lib-Art.com. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. .

__**D**____**iary Entry #2**__ 14 July 1789 Dear Diary,

Liberté, égalité, fraternité! The time has come! My body trembles in excitement as I recall today's events, events that will mark the beginning of a brave new history. About half past three, a huge mob marched to the Bastille. They were not only our liberators, but also tried searching for gunpowder. The besiegers broke into the arsenal, the first courtyard, cut the drawbridge down, and even demanded a man named Launay to lower the bridges. Launay had given up after a while! I watched Launay and his soldiers getting dragged by the mighty people as the prisoners were liberated. We even made an attempt to catch that prison guard who had bullied us for no justifiable reason, but he was running for his life. The mob treated me carefully and escorted me out, not seeming know that I am a commoner with no political significance. Outside the prison, I caught sight of Monsieur Colbert. In fact, he had waited for me. It was first time in fifteen months that I met Monsieur Colbert. Even amidst the chaos, he seemed to greet me with a warm smile. He swiftly led me to a carriage with the help of one coachman he knew of. Despite the fact that Monsieur Colbert was a well-dressed, seemingly wealthy man, the mob recognized him and yet they didn't assault him. Instead of the typical greeting, the first question that came out of my mouth was: "Are you one of them?" He replied back with the most mysterious look I have ever seen - "What else could I be?"

As the coachman finished his anecdote about how his anger toward the First and Second Estates boiled up, we arrived at a salon in one street of Paris that I could not recognize. I followed Monsieur Colbert into a building lit by a candle, in which a group of men presumed to be newspaper editors were having some kind of heated discussion. Among them was a young man called André Cadet whom Monsieur Colbert introduced. I was introduced as Monsieur Colbert's "friendly companion". A minute later they resumed their debate, totally unaware of the my existence. I sat on a wooden chair and observed them - more accurately, I scrutinized them. They unanimously agreed that a revolution was about to spark in the Kingdom of France, and that this great revolution will be led by the people, the majority. After a few hours of what was an intense debate upon how France should be ruled if a coup d'état occurs. André Cadet argued that constitutional monarchy, not complete eradication of the nobility, was the key. Others opposed him with some counterexamples related to the American Revolutionary War. Anyway, after all things were said, I was taken to his small home, located in the northeastern part of Paris. He instructed me to use a smaller room adjacent to his room; at least, until this ongoing whirlpool of chaos seemed to have quelled. For the sake of my safety, Monsieur Colbert urged me not to visit my father, sister and children or go to my previous workplace until things were settled.

I am happy that I am released from the prison. At the same time, new fear creeps into me: what would happen to our country? Most important of all, what would happen to Father, Marie, Valentin and Modestine? Monsieur Colbert said that my family members would be fine, since every member of the Third Estate works collaboratively with the other. I write a letter of love and concern to my family members anyhow. At the very end of the letter I write as follows: "This is a //revolution//."


 * Works Cited**

Bliss, Jim. "THE STORMING OF THE BASTILLE." //Dorian Cope Presents On This Deity//. WordPress. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. .

Houël, Jean-Pierre. //The Storming of the Bastille//. 1789. Bibliothèque Nationale Française, France. //HistoryWiz//. HistoryWiz. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. .

ThinkQuest Team. "Storming of the Bastille." //Think Quest//. ThinkQuest Team. Web. 6 Dec. 2011. .

__**Diary Entry #1**__ 12 December 1788 Dear Diary,

At the end of the day I am another day older... I can't believe today was the first 'anniversary' of my entrance into this prison. I sigh as I glance at the iron bars of my cell. Again, the angry voice of one insane man named Baldoin de Gouges is heard. He doesn't notice any of us; once an intellectual, the doctor yells like a beast, demanding that he must be released. There are only seven prisoners who have ended up in the Bastille, including me. I wonder why I wasn't thrust into one of the crowded gaols with other common criminals. Anyway the Bastille is not as cruel as what people outside think of. We are provided all basic supplies such as matches, steel and flint, tinder, candle, broom, clean bedding, napkins, and so forth. For me, food is provided by my family. Once a prison guard slapped my face for the so-called insubordination. I pleaded him to let my sister Adeline stay longer with me, but he refused me just because he wasn't feeling well. I will someday take revenge on him. I must.

I am even more depressed as I think about Marie. She is a poor seamstress, yet with her petty income she must sustain our father and her elder sister who is stuck up in this prison. Ah, my beloved children - Valentin and Modestine! Marie told me yesterday on her visit that she was informed of news that Valentin had joined a group of thieves in Paris. If only his mother could be with him! Although Modestine says she is getting along well in her father-in-law's house, her hands are rough and bruised. That worthless, hot-tempered old man - he must be giving endless chores to my Modestine! My father is getting weak day by day; I heard his bones are all stiff and left with only two front teeth. The cause of my family's misfortune and poverty lies in that pompous, senseless man I had married. Everyday my head was filled with dreams of helping the suppressed - us women and the poor. I thought I would be able to reach my ambitions by marrying a wealthy merchant. I was definitely wrong. When things weren't going well, Lucien fell into the world of gambling to escape from the reality. I recall those horrifying days when he sold one furniture each day to gain a handful of coins. We were soon kicked out from our two-storied house and Lucien was sent to a debtor's prison. He died very soon in the prison and here I am as a substitute!

My only hope and driving force for living is Monsieur Colbert. As one of the newspaper editors of Paris, he is a successful member of the upper middle class. Indeed, it's surprising that such a kind-hearted gentleman was a friend of that beast I knew of. I had met Monsieur Colbert several times, yet he seemed not to pay full attention to me in the presence of Lucien. Nowadays, despite his hectic schedule, he always writes me a letter once a week. My sister and I suppose Monsieur Colbert is helping us financially, for the very man whom Lucien owed his money visited me last week, saying "How are you doing these days? It is with grimness that I express grief over your husband's death... Oh, and just a bit more - some thousands of livres and freedom..." His mocking words penetrate to my heart. Why does he want more when his belly is fuller than that of a pig? Anyway, Monsieur Colbert has also sent me some books directly to the Bastille. An avid reader himself, Monsieur Colbert graciously sent me a book titled //Of The Social Contract, Or Principles of Political Right// by a philosophe named Rousseau. The text is quite tiresome to read; nonetheless, it seems to talk about how our society should be set up. He specifically instructed me not to talk about my readings to anyone besides him via a letter. Anyway, I am more and more attracted to that gentleman. He is not only good-looking, but also good-natured. His letters of in-depth thought keeps me lively and humane. Friday afternoon is no doubt the favorite time of the week! I wonder if we are looking at the same night sky right now...

I know that sooner or later I would get out of this place. Then, I would resume cleaning the reception room in the big mansion of the Montmorency family as a maid. I will live tenaciously so I could get a more worthwhile job to change this corrupt kingdom. I will bear my current loneliness and depressed mood by thinking of Monsieur Colbert, my dear family, and my lifelong motto: "Life is life, fight for it!"



Mieris, Frans I Van. //A Young Woman Seated At A Table, Reading A Letter By Candlelight//. 1861. Amsterdam University Library, The Netherlands. //ARCADJA Auction Results//. ARCADJA Auction Results, 9 July 2008. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. .
 * Works Ci****ted**

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. //The Social Contract Or Principles of Political Right//. Trans. G. D. H. Cole. 1762. //Social Contract by Jean Jacques Rousseau 1762//. Marxists.org. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. .


 * Name**: Auda Bonhomme


 * Age**: 35


 * Gender**: Female


 * Occupation**: Housemaid


 * Social Class**: Third Estate (particularly the petit bourgeois - lower middle class)


 * Financial situation**: Barely any asset after bankruptcy. Gets financial support from her own sister and husband’s former friend.

-Fairly tall (159 cm) -Chubby, big stature with ruddy face -Wrinkled forehead and bits of white hair -Eyes blue as sea, lip red as a rose, and big nose
 * Appearance**:


 * Location of home and/or business**: Château d'Ecouen, northern suburb of Paris


 * Habitual locations**: Bastille Saint-Antoine, a prison

6:00 a.m. - Awakened by the sound of a noisy bell 6:30 a.m. ~ 7:30 a.m. - Resting period 7:30 a.m. ~ 8:00 a.m. - Several pieces of bread and wine as breakfast 8:00 a.m. ~ 12:00 p.m. - Reading books sent by Colbert 12:00 p.m. ~ 12:30 p.m. - Lunch 12:30 p.m. ~ 3:00 p.m. - Resume reading 3:00 p.m. ~ 4:00 p.m. - Visits by sister Marie and daughter Modestine 4:00 p.m. ~ 5:00 p.m. - Walking around the Bastille's great court 5:00 p.m. ~ 7:00 p.m. - Reading book (or letters on every Friday) sent by Colbert 7:00 p.m. ~ 8:30 p.m. - Writing letters to Leon Colbert 8:30 p.m. ~ 9:00 p.m. - Writing a diary entry 9:00 p.m. ~ 6:00 a.m. - Sleeping until the next day
 * Daily routine**:

-tenacious, laborious, witty, and emotional -has some eccentric mannerisms -despite the limited education, loves to read and write -strong believer in gender equality and the need for societal reformations
 * Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits**:

Auda's ancestors for generations were only poor peasants until her grandfather's birth. Gautier Françoise was a heroic military lieutenant who played a huge role in capturing Duchy of Lorraine during the War of the Polish Succession. However, he was setenced to death for mutiny. As a result, his son Athanase was all of a sudden taken away from the privileged lifestyle and had to live poorly as a peasant. He married Adeline, the daughter of a tailor. They gave birth to five children, which three of them had died from malnutrition; only Marie and Auda survived. Their mother Adeline soon passed away as well. Auda worked laboriously, once gaining multiple of jobs at the same time. Her hard work and labor were acknowledged by the villagers, and Auda became a maid for the Montmorency family. She married a well-to-do merchant named Lucien in Paris. Nonetheless, Lucien gambled all day long and the family was bankrupt. Along with two children, Auda was kicked out from the house. Her husband died in a prison, thus he was replaced by Auda herself until her family could pay off the debt. She survives from the food Marie gives, and Lucien’s wealthy former friend is helping Auda pay off her debt.
 * Past / Family History**:

*Red denotes a family member who had passed away. __Gautier Françoise__ - grandfather of Auda, died in 1742 during an execution -> Auda is curious what her grandfather was like __Athanase Françoise__ - aged 55, a farmer living with Adeline __Adeline Françoise__ - wife of Athanase, died from scarlet fever in 1756 -> Auda has great yearning for her mother, as she was a kind-hearted, loving samaritan __Marie Françoise__ - aged 29, only surviving sister of Auda, a self-reliant seamstress __Lucien Bonhomme__ - husband of Auda, once a well-to-do merchant in Paris, died from dysentery in 1787 -> Auda laments marrying Lucien from the first place; she secretly despises him for causing such chaos in her life __Valentin Bonhomme__ - aged 15, the unmarried son of Auda, skilled thief __Modestine Bonhomme__ - aged 13, the married daughter of Auda, servant at the tavern __Leon Colbert__ - aged 37, former friend of Lucien, an influential newspaper editor
 * Family**:

-Neither gregarious nor introverted -Maintains trustworthy and loving relationships with other villagers -Feels pity for her father __Athanase__, who is barely sustained by Marie's income -Feels guilt for receiving support from her hard-working younger sister __Marie__ -Heart aches as Auda thinks about her own son __Valentin__ stealing to make a living -Concerned about the hardships __Modestine__ undergoes at her parent-in-law's house -Greatly appreciates financial support from __Colbert__, Auda is more and more attached to his kindness and charisma -Full of contempt and hatred toward the First and Second Estates
 * Social relations with your own and other classes**:


 * Religion**: A reluctant, spiritless Roman Catholic


 * Education**: Limited education, but can read and write without strain


 * Style of speaking**: Curt, straightforward, high-pitched and quick speaker. Has a blend of Marseillais and Parisian accent.

-Desperate to get out of this stifling prison to fulfill her personal dreams -Growing thankfulness toward Leon Colbert transforming into love -Increased concern about Valentin and his unknown whereabouts
 * Main privileges and/or conflicts**:


 * Portrait:**

<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> **Works Cited**

"ChÃ¢teau D`Ãcouen in Paris." //Europe Travel & Europe Hotels Reservation System//. Europe-cities.com. Web. 04 Dec. 2011. <http://www.europe-cities.com/en/786/france/paris/place/4132_chateau_decouen/>.

Pissarro, Camille. //Young Peasant Woman Drinking Her Café Au Lait//. 1881. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. //The Art Institute of Chicago//. The Art Institute of Chicago. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/81548>. "Polish Succession, War of the." //The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia//. 6th ed. Columbia UP, 2007. //Infoplease//. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0839530.htmlhttp://>.//

//<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Polish Succession, War of the." //The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia//. 6th ed. Columbia UP, 2007.// Infoplease//. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0839530.htmlhttp://>.