Covered Paddle Boat

Covered Paddle Boat Description Quick Facts Literary Analysis of Its Significance Occurences in the Novel

Description

Note: The exact type of boat that was mentioned in the book most likely did not exist. No resources could confirm the type of craft that was described. See Trips for more information.

Quick Facts

• Speed: Slow
• Capacity: up to 5 people
• Crew: 1
• Power: Human
• Method of Propulsion: Oars

Literary Analysis of Its Significance

The covered boat was used as a motif to bring up Rodolphe and further emphasise Emma's adultrus ways. It is irony that Leon finds the red ribon that could possibly have belonged to a girl that was courted by Rodolphe. The ribon is symbolic of Emma; Previously possessed by Rodolphe; Cast away, just as the ribon was, to be found by Leon.

Occurences in the Novel

   Part 2, Chapter 3

    "At nightfall they returned to the city.  The boat fol-

    lowed the shoreline of the islands, and they crouched deep

    in its shadow, not saying a word.  The square-tipped oars

    clicked in the iron oar-locks.  It sounded, in the silence,

    like the beat of a metronome, and the rope trailing behind

    kept up its gentle splashing in the water.

    ...

     She was sitting opposite him, leaning against the wall of

    the little cabin, the moonlight streaming in on her through an

    open shutter.  In her black dress, its folds spreading out

    around her like a fan, she looked taller, slimmer.  Her head

    was raised, her hands were clasped, her eyes turned heavenward.

    One moment she would be hidden by the shadow of some willows,

    the next, she would suddenly re-emerge in the light of the moon

    like an apparition.

         Leon, sitting on the bottom beside her, picked up a bright

    red ribbon.

         The boatman looked at it.  "Oh," he said, "that's probably

    from a party I took out the other day.  They were a jolly lot,

    all right, the men and the girls.  They brought along food and

    champagne and music, the whole works.  There was one of them,

    especially, a big, good-looking fellow with a little mustache,

    he was a riot.  They all kept after him.  `Come on, tell us a

    story, Adolphe' . . . or Dodolphe, or some name like that."'