Bonjour Tristesse by Sagan
I think Cecile would have benefited greatly from the positive influence Anne brought with her. It was hard to see her destroy Anne and her father’s relationship especially once she began to bond with Anne. The environment Céline was raised in blinded her to what Anne’s intentions were, even after the time they spent together after her mother’s death and how “embarrassingly fond of her” (7) she was. Her actions came from fear and selfishness to keep her way of life from changing. Without giving praise to the main character I will say I found her scheming and frivolous lifestyle to be quite entertaining. On page 18, Cécile declared that she tried to base her life on Oscar Wilde’s quote “Sin is the only note of vivid colour that persists in the modern world” and Anne came in as a representation of everything Cécile hated. With the best intentions, Anne wanted to marry her father, but Cécile’s lifestyle and fundamental identity were immediately threatened. First with Anne’s involvement in her studies and then her interference in Cécile’s relationship with Cyril. I thought after the conversation Anne and Cécile had about the future on pages 104-5 along with some other bonding moments between the two, Cécile would put an end to her plans. Even though it was in her nature, I was disappointed that Cécile could not grow from the idea of how she was supposed to live and make room for Anne and her preparations for the future.
Overall I like how this reading depicted Cécie and her father’s inability and unwillingness to change. The ending was sad, but it left me wondering if the three of them would work as a family or if Cécile would continue to find new ways to get rid of Anne? Cécile was heartbroken losing Anne, but if she never felt the loss, she would have probably never fully realized the consequences of her actions.
My question for the class is Would Cécile be better adjusted to cope with the changes Anne brought to her life if her father raised her to be more disciplined?
Hi Megan! You mention that Cécile "feels the loss" of Anne. I wonder if you can point out any specific pages or passages in which we see this? Is this something that we are only made aware of at the end of the novel?
ReplyDeleteHi Megan!
ReplyDeleteI agree that Anne would have been a positive influence on Cécile. I liked how you said, "Cécile's lifestyle and fundamental identity were immediately threatened." It contributes to how stubborn she regards her father's engagement to Anne. Anne valued all the things that Cecile could not stand, which was a threat to her.