Michel Houellebecq draws a very negative picture of human intimate relationships in his novels. In modern times, sexuality has become an object of consumption and exchange, which leads to enormous inequality. Certain people have an excess of sexual contacts, while others are denied access to sexuality. At the same time, the family as a social basis is breaking down. In “Les Particules élémentaires” (1998) and “La Possibilité d’une île” (2005), the author sketches a pessimistic vision of the future in which humanity overcomes the problems of sexuality by switching to reproduction through cloning. With his reference to biological knowledge, Houellebecq is part of a tradition that began in the 19th century and is associated with authors such as Balzac and Zola. His work exemplifies the contribution literature can make to human reflection on its place between naturalness and artificiality.