Alcohol Issues in The Christening Novel

Guy de Maupassant’s “The Christening” story highlights the perils of alcohol abuse; alcohol abuse brings about the deaths of four characters. To this end, a certain seaman and his son die due to alcohol abuse. Likewise, Kerandec engages in alcohol abuse that causes the death of Mother Kerandec. Kerandec also engages in alcohol abuse that leads to the death of his infant child. This essay analyses “The Christening” to highlight the perils of alcohol abuse based on the following aspects: a certain seaman and his son die due to alcohol abuse, and Kerandec engages in alcohol abuse that causes the deaths of both Mother Kerandec and an infant child.

Considering that a certain seaman and his son die due to alcohol abuse, “The Christening” underlines the dangers of alcohol abuse. In this regard, this seaman goes to work while drunk. Being unsteady, this seaman ends up tumbling into the sea, thus dying. Later on, the son of this fisherman also goes to work while drunk. Owing to his unsteady nature, this son aldo tumbles into the sea and dies (Maupassant, n.d.). These two deaths would prompt a reader to hold that the father and the son would not die if they did not go to work while drunk. Consequently, alcohol abuse causes the father and the son to die. These two characters engage in alcohol abuse in that they take alcohol at an inopportune moment. Through the deaths of this father and the son, “The Christening” underscores the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Kerandec engages in alcohol abuse that causes the death of Mother Kerandec, thus further showing that alcohol abuse is harmful. On this note, Mother Kerandec has recently given birth to an infant. One morning, Kerandec goes out to drink and leaves Mother Kerandec who is unwell without anything to eat. Kerandec remains at his drinking spot until early the following morning. Up to this time, Mother Kerandec has not eaten anything. In this situation, Mother Kerandec starves to death (n.d.). Though this scenario, “The Christening” highlights that alcohol abuse is harmful.

Kerandec also engages in alcohol abuse that leads to the death of his infant child, thus underlining the dangers of alcohol abuse. To this end, Kerandec takes this infant with him as he goes to drink. Kerandec spends the whole day drinking. He extends his drinking spree to the early hours of the morning. During all this time, the infant has not had anything to eat because the mother is away. Given that this infant can only nourish itself by suckling the mother’s milk, this infant is greatly inflicted by hunger. When this infant ultimately passes away, Kerandec, who is in a drunken stupor, does not even notice (n.d.). This situation highlights the perils of alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse causes Kerandec to take alcohol while in the company of the infant. Consequently, Kerandec’s inebriated mind does not realize that this infant needs to nourish itself by suckling the mother’s breast. Kerandec does not thus even realize when this infant succumbs to hunger. Thanks to the infant’s death, “The Christening” emphasizes that alcohol abuse is destructive.

In conclusion, “The Christening” underscores the idea that alcohol abuse is dangerous. To this end, alcohol abuse leads to the deaths of four characters. For instance, a certain seaman and his son die due to alcohol abuse. Likewise, Kerandec engages in alcohol abuse that causes the deaths of both Mother Kerandec and his infant child. It would be insightful to investigate what motivated Maupassant to underline that alcohol abuse is perilous.