Although Homais is not central to the plot of Madame Bovary, he is an absolutely essential part of its atmosphere. His presence serves, in part, to heighten our sense of Emma’s frustration with her life. Flaubert relates Homais’s speeches in full, forcing us to read them just as Emma is forced to listen to them. Homais is also an extremely selfish man. He is befriending Charles because he wants Charles to turn a blind eye to his disreputable medical practices.