How did Louis-Paul Boon's social realism portray poor and oppressed people?

In the context of Flemish literature, Louis-Paul Boon is recognized as a leading figure of social realism. His work, most notably De kapellekensbaan (1953; Chapel Road), examines the bleak lives of the poor and downtrodden with a compassionate yet unsentimental social awareness.1

Boon’s approach to portraying these marginalized groups is characterized by a blend of formal experimentation and colloquial directness. Rather than romanticizing their struggles, he provides a grounded, realistic depiction of their circumstances, often supported by detailed archival research in his historical novels. By focusing on the harsh realities faced by the poor, Boon’s writing serves as a critical reflection of social conditions, maintaining a commitment to documenting the human experience without resorting to sentimentality.1