All Our Worldly Goods by Irène Némirovsky

Review of the Classic French Novel by the Author of Suite Française

Dec 30, 2008

Set in rural France in 1911 - 1940, lovers Pierre and Agnès must endure the challenges of family expectations and two world wars to be together.

Translated by Sandra Smith, Irène Némirovsky’s 1947 French classic All Our Worldly Goods (Chatto & Windus, 2008) was originally published with the title Les biens de ca monde (Éditions Albin Michel, 1947).

Ultimately celebrating the power of love and its many forms, the setting also highlights the restrictions and social standards of provincial France and the devastating effects of the First and Second World Wars in the lives of everyday people.

Pierre Hardelot and Agnès Florent are in love but are not considered to be social equals in their childhood home of Saint-Elme. Pierre is engaged to Simone Renaudin, a wealthy orphan. When local gossips reveal that Pierre and Agnès have been meeting unchaperoned, Pierre breaks his engagement to Simone and marries Agnès. This devastates his parents and infuriates his grandfather, Julian Hardelot, who disinherits Pierre and refuses to allow him to work for the family business.

Throughout their lives, the deep and abiding love between Pierre and Agnès help them to endure the trials of family expectations and disapproval. They face financial hardship when Pierre is called to fight during World War I and further emotional turmoil as their son Guy fights in World War II.

The family factory in Saint-Elme causes further emotional burdens as Pierre is allowed to help run the factory when his grandfather’s health falters only to find himself in partnership with his bitter ex-fiancée Simone.

Love, Expectations and the Importance of Appearances

Throughout the novel, the concept of love as both a strength and weakness is explored, with Agnès and Pierre’s relationship held as the role model for true love – honest, supportive, sacrificial and enduring.

Simone and Guy are both hurt by the betrayal of their love, their behaviour shaped by the infidelities of their partner. Julian Hardelot’s love for his own success and status reveals the flaws choosing to love something that is ultimately so unimportant.

Parental love is also evident in a variety of relationships, with Pierre and Agnès once again demonstrating this at its best.

Social appearances play a large role in the interactions of the central characters, with very few relationships being actively honest and transparent. Both Agnès' mother and Pierre’s parents seek to manipulate and control their children, trying to force them into decisions that will create the best impression. They go through the motions of saying the correct thing in public, while secretly harbouring jealousy, bitterness, anger and resentment in their hearts and minds.

Honesty and integrity are valued by few within the novel, with the need to create a good impression and maintain standards of behaviour seen as worth achieving at any cost. Maintaining social status is a significant factor in the decisions of many characters, leading them to hurt others and isolate themselves as they ensure that their standing within the community remains untarnished. The futility of such priorities is clearly shown as the war, age and ill health undermine all that these characters strive for.

Author Profile: Irène Némirovsky

Born in Kiev in 1903, Irène Némirovsky was the daughter of a Jewish banker. In 1918 her family fled to France, where she became a bestselling novelist with novels published both during her lifetime and just after her death in Auschwitz in 1942.

Recent English translations of Némirovsky’s novels include, Fire in the Blood (Vintage, 2008), The Courilof Affair (Vintage, 2008) and her unfinished magnum opus Suite Français (Chatto & Windus, 2006).

All Our Worldly Goods is a compelling read - a beautifully told story with great depth and engaging characters. While the background of warfare is an integral part of the story setting, the real impact is in the portrayal of characteristics such as pride, loyalty, love, passion and determination and the demonstration that these can either strengthen or weaken both relationships and individuals.

The copyright of the article All Our Worldly Goods by Irène Némirovsky in European Literature is owned by Susan Whelan. Permission to republish All Our Worldly Goods by Irène Némirovsky in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.