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Time line outline BIRTH AND FAMILY
Feb. 16th, 2017 02:39 pm 1835: a baby boy with a severe cleft palate is born to Anselme and Delorés Carpentier in a village on the outskirts of Rouen. The baby is named by the nurses who assist Mrs Carpentier with the baby. They Christen the baby Denis Carpentier, and dedicate him to St Denis, a saint whose patronage includes the city of Paris, headaches, frenzy and demonic possession. Anselme is shocked by the sight of his own son and refuses to see him. He is convinced there is something unholy about the kid and isn't very interested in doctors or surgeries to help. But Delorés is interested, and she petitions for her sons face. Anselme agrees on the condition that everything remain a secret.
1836: several doctors have looked into the baby's case and little Denis has already survived several traumatic surgeries, procedures, and infections. While the doctors managed to wedge together the child's mouth, Denis had no nose and only a vestigal upper lip due to infections and faulty procedures.
1837: Anselme refuses to acknowledge the boys existence and blames his wife for the whole thing. And while it's true that Delorés kept her baby alive, she frequently looks upon Denis as something more of a scientific experiment than a child. Could he live? She hypothesized he could and entreated the help of the medical community to do so, even though a lot of the nurses and locals said allowed that it would be better if the baby starved. Starvation is the most common death for cleft pallette babies, as suckling is almost impossible.
1838: Denis is 3.
1839: Delorés becomes pregnant again. Anselme becomes very superstitious and gets Delorés to make Denis masks so that she doesn't look at his face and have another one. Delorés never sees her sons face again. Denis is only allowed to leave home for the church, and only the parish priest knows about him.
1840: Once Denis tries to make speech, Delorés' academic interest picks up in him. She employs a professsional vocal coach to examine Denis' development.
1836: several doctors have looked into the baby's case and little Denis has already survived several traumatic surgeries, procedures, and infections. While the doctors managed to wedge together the child's mouth, Denis had no nose and only a vestigal upper lip due to infections and faulty procedures.
1837: Anselme refuses to acknowledge the boys existence and blames his wife for the whole thing. And while it's true that Delorés kept her baby alive, she frequently looks upon Denis as something more of a scientific experiment than a child. Could he live? She hypothesized he could and entreated the help of the medical community to do so, even though a lot of the nurses and locals said allowed that it would be better if the baby starved. Starvation is the most common death for cleft pallette babies, as suckling is almost impossible.
1838: Denis is 3.
1839: Delorés becomes pregnant again. Anselme becomes very superstitious and gets Delorés to make Denis masks so that she doesn't look at his face and have another one. Delorés never sees her sons face again. Denis is only allowed to leave home for the church, and only the parish priest knows about him.
1840: Once Denis tries to make speech, Delorés' academic interest picks up in him. She employs a professsional vocal coach to examine Denis' development.
1841, 5 or 6 years old
Date: 2017-02-17 12:17 am (UTC)Denis takes to all his lessons eagerly. Delorés is cold and strict with him, but a good teacher.
Re: 1841, 5 or 6 years old
Date: 2017-02-17 02:32 am (UTC)Anselme and Delorés have such a quarrel and Denis decides it's best if he runs away.
Delorés agrees and makes arrangements with the parish priest.
The boy takes the violin with him. And a book: Norte-Dame de Paris.
And he leaves the name Denis behind forever