Story Outline

Outline of “Let Them Eat Cake”

**This copy has been edited**

The year is 1778, France is in turmoil, and the dislike for the king and queen is mounting interminably. Louis Xvi is a sissy, who does nothing as a true ruler should, spending his time shunning his country and obsessing over the hunt. His wife is no better; she has recently been framed in a scandalous event involving the former king's mistress, and a very large sum in diamonds.

The personal story of Marie Antoinette is as fascinating. Our story follows Marie Antoinette from the year of the infamous Diamond Necklace Affair, through the French Revolution. Other topics that are focused on in the story are: the storming of Bastille Prison, the flight of the royal family, and the trials and execution of the king and queen.

Marie Antoinette was, in reality, a compassionate woman. Her lavish spending habits were attributed to the neglect she suffered at the hands of her husband. Most of the time during her reign, she was ridiculously bored, and this was another reason for her disparaged habits. As the political blood boils in the veins of her people, she remains oblivious to it, until it finally begins to boil over. This graphic novel is half based on the way important events in the French revolution affected Marie Antoinette, her feelings (or our take on them) on what is happening to her country, the way she deals with its government collapsing and the people taking over.

The other half of our graphic novel is based upon the life of a French citizen at the very same time. Her name is also Marie, and at the start of the novel, she is only nine years old. As her queen ages, so does she, they experience the same events, but are affected differently by them. While the diamond necklace has little effect of Marie, it severely undermines Antoinette’s reputation. As she grows, she is taught to see their queen as a curse upon the nobility, the downfall of the government, and the reason why a revolution is needed. But at the same time, Marie empathizes with her queen. They are both young women, and all women suffer their troubles.

Through all this, Marie takes an active part in all the major events of the revolution. She’s there at the storming of the Bastille, hears about the escape of her king and queen, and witnesses the decapitation of Antoinette.

Through this story she is not alone. As a child, she is accompanied by her friend, Jacque. As she matures, she learns to see Jacque as more than a friend. Through secret lessons where Jacque teaches Marie how to read, their relationship blossoms. As she narrates the happenings in her country, her personal love story entwines itself to make a wonderful portrait of a growing young woman during this critical time.