Page "The Red and the Black" Paragraph 3

The first volume ’ s epigraph is attributed to Danton: “ La vérité, l ’ âpre vérité ” (“ The truth, the harsh truth ”), which is fictional, like most of the chapter epigraphs.

The first chapter of each volume repeats the title Le Rouge et le Noir and the Chronique de 1830 sub-title.

The novel ’ s title denotes the contrasting uniforms of the Army and the Church.

Early in the story, Julien Sorel realistically observes that under the Bourbon restoration it is impossible for a man of his plebian social class to distinguish himself in the army ( as he might have done under Napoleon ), hence only a Church career offers social advancement and glory.