The Companion 1923 by Victor Margueritte is the second novel in the trilogy that begins with his 1922 controversial bestseller The Bacheloress and concludes with The Couple 1924 In contrast to the victimized Monique Lerbier heroine of The Bacheloress who appears in this novel in a supporting role Annik Raimber is a staunch protofeminist with unwavering integrity who never comprises her principles When confronted with marriage and a family professional success and security but at the price of alternately subordination and subjugation Annik resists maintaining her optimism that she is on the right path toward selffulfillment But does her brand of fulfillment exist in a world of entrenched ideology The Companion is an exploration of both feminist selfdirection and more generally the boundary between individuality and the pervading social norms As its author Margueritte writes quotA logical consequence of my study of feminine mores Le Compagnon claims in fact and loudly the right to say everything in accordance with the honest naturalist meth
