Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Another book in preparation for our upcoming trip to France.  Although I continue to largely struggle with the novel form, I do learn from them.

In this instance, the core message of the book is the fallacy of material possessions and physical appearances.  Madame Bovary obsesses over such things, to such an extreme that she ends up in financial ruin, ultimately committing suicide and ruining the lives of her husband and daughter.

It serves as an important reminder that materials possessions and aesthetics are nice to have, but not things to which I cling or feel entitled to.  

This is acutely important right now as we begin a significant redesign of the interior of our home.  It's something that I want to do, but it's not something that defines me.  Take it away and I'm still the same person.  A beautiful home is something nice to have, not something I need.

I've long felt that way, but my study of Stoic practices, and books such as Bovary, help remind me of this fallacy.

Which makes me think once again that I'm due to delve back into the Stoics.