Against the Grain (A Rebours)

Described as "e;A Novel Without a Plot"e; J.

K. Huysman's "e;Against the Grain (A Rebours)"e; is a relatively simple story.

It concerns the seclusion of one Des Esseintes, the last member of a once powerful and noble family.

Having lived an extremely decadent life, Des Esseintes finds himself disgusted with human society and retreats to a house in the countryside where he is intent upon spending the rest of his days in intellectual and aesthetic contemplation. Because of its decadent content "e;Against the Grain"e; created quite a stir when it was first published and in breaking from the Naturalist school of literature Huysman's work established itself as a major piece of the Symbolist aesthetic.