What makes Madame Bovary so compelling to read is that Flaubert never beats the reader across the head with the points raised above. Rather, the reader is left to decipher these elements within scenes that show almost the whole gamut of human emotion and relationships, minus the key one of faithful love. This little element, so conspicuous in its absence, perhaps may lead some readers to question the utility of this banal tale of dreams and delusional aspirations within the context of a harsh, dreary provincial life where the villagers live under the yoke of tradition and materialist avarice. Avarice perhaps is the glue to this tale. It certainly underlies much of the actions such as Emma's desire to rise even further above her former station, Charles' desire to become a famous physician, Homais' lusting after the Legion of Honor, and of course Lheureux's aggrandizing behavior toward Emma and (presumably) other Yonville villagers. It is such a petty vice, which perhaps makes it all the more appalling to read about in the context of witnessing the ruining of a family.