The life of Julien Sorel was not easy. A simple French town, a simple family of hard workers, with a strong body and working hands. They were people close and their main task was to get as much money as possible, which in principle is not surprising. After all, in the era in which the novel "The Red and the Black" unfolds, all power and money belonged only to aristocrats and people of high standing.
Suddenly, in such an ordinary family, a "black sheep" appears and does not agree with this state of affairs and, in addition, presents an open challenge to such a way of life. The brothers and father scoffed at the fine and romantic nature of Julien, and laughed at his craving for knowledge, over his refined figure and ambitious dreams.
Julien wanted a more beautiful and comfortable life, heroic deeds, military service, and a high society. Unfortunately, in the days after Napoleon's fall only aristocrats could join the army, this fact pushed the hero to study theology and Latin. Thanks to this knowledge, Julien came to work in the house of a major. Indeed, Julien Sorel understood that this was his first step towards the realization of a dream, but, even though it was almost impossible to implement it and it was necessary to make every effort and adapt to the circumstances, the young man did not allow Mr. de Renal to ridicule himself. During this period of the novel, the author shows us the exorbitant pride and ambition of Julien. Although he was of low birth, Sorel behaved like a true aristocrat, hence starting his startling ups and downs.
Although he was an intelligent man, Julien was young and did not have much willpower. He could not keep his pride and his desire for revenge, he became the lover of Madame de Renal pushing away the love of a simple girl. This is how he demonstrates that he is governed only by self-interest and ambition, but Madame de Renal blinded by passion does not see this.
When Julien came to the seminary, he began to understand that even here there are intrigues, and this is in the place where the ministers of faith are brought up. The soul of Julien is filled with disappointments and contradictions. He is very upset that Madame de Renal does not write to him and there is a lie all around. All these factors, and not only these, served as a path to a world of deception and hypocrisy.
Julien becomes cruel, cunning, and prudent. Having overcome all the obstacles, Julien falls to the point for the achievement of which so much effort was put and all his life activities. He went to the house of the Marquis de La Mole. At the same time, in the soul of Sorel slowly begins to die an honest and kind person, he almost completely loses honor and pride, in the constant pursuit of fame and the recognition of an aristocratic society. After all, he is trying to marry Matilda, but this is where the unforeseen happens.
The insulted Madame de Renal in a fit of jealousy and revenge decides to cross out the life and career of Julien Sorel with a stroke of her pen. The light faded in the boy's eyes, he realized that this was the end! But Julien was not the man who could return to his father's house or become a minister of the church. No, no, no, and no again! He wants revenge! He is desperate. If the end, then to the end! He defies the whole world, he shoots Ms. de Renal in public, which would wash away the blood of shame and pain that she brought to his life. Being in prison Julien understands at last many things. He reproaches himself for a crime against love, for self-interest, for rash acts. By this repentance, he deserves our forgiveness for the past. Despite everything, he still did not destroy a man in himself.
In the image of Julien Sorel, the author shows us an incredibly selfish and at the same time sensitive and conscientious person. The peculiarity of this novel is not only that it shows the struggle of the individual and society, but also the conflict between exact calculation and a strong, sensitive, and romantic soul.
