This week I read Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan. This book was not my favourite as I found almost no redeeming qualities in any of the characters. I tried to sympathize with Cecile over her actions. She had grown up … Continue reading →
Posted in Blogs, Sagan | Tagged with antagonist, growing up, Selfish
This week, I chose to read Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Segan.
At the beginning of the novel, it mentioned how the protagonist’s mother has passed away for fifteen years and her dad seems to have many relationships after that, as “he was young for his age, full of vitality and possibilities” (p3). It even took her “longer to realize that it was a different one every six month” (p3) when her dad told her he was living with someone.
When Cecile saw Cyril, a university student, she mentioned how she “does not care for younger people, but much preferred [her] father’s friends, men of forty, who to me with courtesy and tenderness and treated her with the gentleness of a father or a lover”(p5). The fact that she is into older guys around her dad’s age made me wonder if it is because she longed for fatherly love or if it is because her dad is the ‘only one’ she has. Which caused her to want to date guys around her dad’s age because of their ‘father figure’. This also explains what Cecile meant when she said she knew Elsa “would not get into our way” (p4). She seems to be able to accept Elsa because Elsa would not get into her relationships with her dad.
I found Cecile’s father’s behaviour selfish. As he invited Anne over to join their vacation just because he wanted to. He didn’t think about how the situation would be if he invited Anne over since Elsa is also there with them. He should have talked and discussed with both Elsa and Cecile before inviting Anne. He also did not mention to Anne that Elsa is also there. After Anne arrived at the villa, her father began to distance himself from Elsa. He didn’t even realize that he was wrong even when Cecile blasted out what he did “You take a red haired girl to the seaside, expose her to the hot sun which she can’t stand, and when her skin has all peeled you abandon her.” (p38). Without realizing the problem, he then told Cecile that he and Anne are getting married the next day. If he is thinking of marrying Anne, he should have ended his relationship with Elsa first. He should also talk to his daughter first before making the decision, as it will not only impact him but Cecile as well. On the other hand, Cecile is also being very selfish. She created a plan to separate her dad and Anne just because she is afraid of losing her ‘normal life’.
My questions for the class are: As Anne felt she had some responsibility for Cecile, she told Cecile thatshe should not see Cyril again. Do you think Anne has the right to interfere with Cecile’s relationship or
life? Another of my questions is: Do you think the reason ‘being afraid of losing normal life’ justify
Cecile’s plan and what she had done to others?
This week, I chose to read Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Segan.
At the beginning of the novel, it mentioned how the protagonist’s mother has passed away for fifteen years and her dad seems to have many relationships after that, as “he was young for his age, full of vitality and possibilities” (p3). It even took her “longer to realize that it was a different one every six month” (p3) when her dad told her he was living with someone.
When Cecile saw Cyril, a university student, she mentioned how she “does not care for younger people, but much preferred [her] father’s friends, men of forty, who to me with courtesy and tenderness and treated her with the gentleness of a father or a lover”(p5). The fact that she is into older guys around her dad’s age made me wonder if it is because she longed for fatherly love or if it is because her dad is the ‘only one’ she has. Which caused her to want to date guys around her dad’s age because of their ‘father figure’. This also explains what Cecile meant when she said she knew Elsa “would not get into our way” (p4). She seems to be able to accept Elsa because Elsa would not get into her relationships with her dad.
I found Cecile’s father’s behaviour selfish. As he invited Anne over to join their vacation just because he wanted to. He didn’t think about how the situation would be if he invited Anne over since Elsa is also there with them. He should have talked and discussed with both Elsa and Cecile before inviting Anne. He also did not mention to Anne that Elsa is also there. After Anne arrived at the villa, her father began to distance himself from Elsa. He didn’t even realize that he was wrong even when Cecile blasted out what he did “You take a red haired girl to the seaside, expose her to the hot sun which she can’t stand, and when her skin has all peeled you abandon her.” (p38). Without realizing the problem, he then told Cecile that he and Anne are getting married the next day. If he is thinking of marrying Anne, he should have ended his relationship with Elsa first. He should also talk to his daughter first before making the decision, as it will not only impact him but Cecile as well. On the other hand, Cecile is also being very selfish. She created a plan to separate her dad and Anne just because she is afraid of losing her ‘normal life’.
My questions for the class are: As Anne felt she had some responsibility for Cecile, she told Cecile thatshe should not see Cyril again. Do you think Anne has the right to interfere with Cecile’s relationship or
life? Another of my questions is: Do you think the reason ‘being afraid of losing normal life’ justify
Cecile’s plan and what she had done to others?
While I enjoyed this novel and found myself reading it quite quickly, I found the narrator, Cecile, to be highly unlikeable. Cecile’s undesirable attitude is prevalent from the beginning of the novel when she shamelessly describes how her pleasure is solely derived from money and other material items. She goes so far as to say […]
Posted in Blogs, Sagan | Tagged with manipulation, Selfish, suicide
