"The Beast of Man" is a novel by the French writer Emile Zola, in which the author examines the theme of incredible power hidden under the cover of civilized masks. The main character of the novel, Jean Rouca de Coury, Comte de Quaguedran, is a railway driver with a mania for speed, who influences the destinies of other characters, leading them to collapse. Zola successfully shows how a person can turn into a beast when his moral foundations are undermined under the influence of social pressure and emotions. This novel impresses with violent emotions, unexpected plot twists and a deep analysis of human nature. La Bête humaine is both an intense detective show and a philosophical treatise on the dark side of the human soul.