Character sketch of NANA
Nana is the protagonist of Emile Zola’s novel Nana. She is born into a poor family. She does not get a good education. She faces many struggles in her early life. She joins the theatre and starts working as an actress. She does not have much talent in acting, but people admire her beauty. She soon becomes famous, not for her acting, but for her ability to attract men. Many rich men fall in love with her. She takes advantage of them to get money and luxury.
Nana loves pleasure and power. She enjoys controlling men. She takes their money and ruins their lives. Many of her lovers lose everything because of her. Even though she is often selfish, she also has moments of kindness. She helps her poor relatives and sometimes shows love to others. But in the end, she cares more about herself and her desires.
Nana becomes very powerful, but her downfall begins soon. She wastes her money and lives a careless life. She loses her beauty and health. People stop admiring her, and she is left alone. In the end, she dies a painful death from smallpox. Her death shows the end of her life as a powerful woman. It also shows the decay of society.
Zola presents Nana as both a victim and a destroyer. She suffers because of her situation, but she also causes harm to others. She represents the corruption of her time. Her life story is both exciting and sad. She rises from nothing, gains everything, and loses it all. Her story teaches that a life full of greed and pleasure does not bring true happiness.
Nana’s character is one of the most memorable in literature. She represents beauty, power, and destruction. Her life is a warning about the dangers of greed and excess. Through her story, Zola shows the dark side of glamour and wealth. Her journey is a great example of naturalistic literature, which shows life as it truly is. She becomes a symbol of greed and corruption in society.