The actual events

The actual events of Louis Lambert are secondary to extended discussions of philosophy (especially metaphysics) and human emotion. Because the novel does not employ the same sort of realism for which Balzac became famous, it has been called one of "the most diffuse and least valuable of his works".[17] Whereas many Balzac stories focus on the external world, Louis Lambert examines many aspects of the thought process and the life of the mind.[18] Many critics, however, condemn the author's disorganized style and his placement of his own mature philosophies into the mind of a teenage boy.[19]


Louis Lambert's ability to feel himself present at the Battle of Austerlitz (depicted here in a painting by François Gérard) reflects Balzac's own use of realism.
Still, shades of Balzac's realism are found in the book, particularly in the first-hand descriptions of the Collège de Vendôme. The first part of the novel is replete with details about the school, describing how quarters were inspected and the complex social rules for exchanging dishes at dinnertime.[20] Punishments are also described at length, including tedious writing tasks and the painful application of the strap:



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