Boule de Suif recap

During the Franco-Prussian War, ten travelers leave occupied Rouen in a coach: three prosperous couples, two nuns, the republican Cornudet, and Elisabeth Rousset, a sex worker nicknamed Boule de Suif. The respectable passengers shun Elisabeth until hunger forces them to accept the food she alone has brought. At an inn in Tôtes, a Prussian officer refuses to let the coach continue unless Elisabeth sleeps with him. She rejects the demand out of patriotism, and her companions initially praise her. As the delay continues, however, they decide that her resistance is inconveniencing them and use social, religious, and patriotic arguments to pressure her into yielding. Once she does, the officer releases the party. On the resumed journey, everyone else eats prepared food without offering her any, and they again treat her as morally unclean. Elisabeth, exploited by both the occupier and her fellow French travelers, cries while Cornudet sings the Marseillaise.

In the winter of the Franco-Prussian War, a coach carrying ten people leaves occupied Rouen for the coast. The passengers include three wealthy married couples, two nuns, the republican Cornudet, and Elisabeth Rousset, a sex worker known as Boule de Suif. The respectable travelers initially avoid Elisabeth, but the slow journey leaves them ravenous and she alone has brought food. She generously shares it with everyone. At Tôtes, the party is detained by a Prussian officer who will let them proceed only if Elisabeth sleeps with him. She refuses from patriotic disgust. Her companions first support her, then resent the delay and carefully pressure her with appeals to sacrifice, history, and religion. Elisabeth finally submits, securing everyone's release. When the coach departs, the others have packed meals but offer her nothing and return to treating her with contempt. Cornudet sings the Marseillaise as Elisabeth weeps, revealing how completely the group has used and abandoned the person whose generosity and sacrifice enabled their journey.

After several days of coordinated pressure from the travelers, Elisabeth gives in to the Prussian officer so the coach will be allowed to leave Tôtes. The others celebrate their regained freedom, but on departure they immediately restore the social barrier between themselves and her. This time they have all packed provisions while Elisabeth, preoccupied by the sacrifice demanded of her, has brought nothing. No one offers her food, although she fed them generously on the first day. As the coach continues toward Le Havre, she understands that the people who invoked duty and religion to secure her compliance now despise her for complying. Cornudet, who did not join their campaign but did nothing to protect her, repeatedly whistles and sings the Marseillaise. Elisabeth weeps in silence while the rest of the company eat, leaving the respectable passengers' self-interest and hypocrisy fully exposed.