Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan
Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan
The reader who is unaware of the sensation that this book has caused in 1954 when it was published, by an author who was…18, for knowing a book’s details might work to its disadvantage.
The information that the writer was so young, may take away the gravitas, might tempt one to dismiss, if not the whole work, at least parts of it and given that it is rather short, losing one part could well mean forfeiting the whole novel.
To start with the conclusion, for this reader it is not impossible to find the merits that have made this story so popular – even adapted for the big screen at least a couple of times – but it is also tempting to come to the conclusion that, although worthy, this is not a chef d’oeuvre
The protagonist is seventeen year old Cecile, who can be endearing – many, if not most readers might find her exhilarating – but she is also capricious, superficial, cunning, selfish and spoiled.
The narrative concerns mostly the time spent in summer, during the vacations – although in her case she has failed the baccalaureate exams and seems unwilling to pursue them, until Anne seems to change the perspective, if only for a while.
The father of the protagonist, Raymond, has rented a villa near the sea, where he takes his daughter and the very young, beautiful mistress, Elsa, one in a series of lovers that this Casanova has a habit of engaging with and then abandoning, quoting Oscar Wilde and his liberal views on sin.
Some may call the arrangement between father and child a paradise on earth, with almost limitless liberties, others would be concerned with the irresponsible attitude of a parent that looks immoral from one point on…indeed, there is even a suggestion of an incestuous bond.
Nothing happens between father and daughter, in the literal sense, but the repeated statement that all they need is each other may lead one to the conclusion that they are psychopaths – these are individuals with no emotions – or they are enough for one another in a rather disturbing way.
Having said that, one might find that the problem with this narrative is not the dark, vile intentions, acts and conspiracies – although there is an element of that too – but the rather implausible, sometimes childish manner of thinking of the heroine, the changing of moods, ideas, perspectives…
This is normal for a seventeen years old indeed, but then the ramblings, indecision, schemes of a seventeen year old in General are serious material for uplifting, worthwhile literature – there need to be in there valuable thoughts, aspects which make this more than one can read on Facebook say or another public arena or forum.
Anne is about the same age as Raymond, having passed forty for a couple of years or so and she is not the type of woman that this philanderer goes out with, for they are generally much younger, in their twenties, and less cultivated, intellectual, even not very intelligent.
Therefore it comes as more than a surprise to see this newcomer at the villa starting to seduce and control the middle aged man, just as he is there with the girlfriend that appears somewhat silly, uneducated and simple when compared with the sophisticated, made up, well dressed designer that seems so superior.
Alas, Elsa has been taking too much son, without the necessary precautions, her skin is peeling off, whatever advance young age confers upon this woman has all but vanished when faced with the smart strategist, erudite, self-controlled Anne.
In different stages, the changing, moody Cecile tries to fend off the challenge from the older woman, thinking she would despise their friends, this new arrival would change the good life she has enjoyed so far with her father and the always- new girlfriends.
Elsa has to go when it becomes evident that Raymond prefers the other woman, that he announces soon that he wants to marry, who becomes somehow more involved in trying to educate, control the teenage daughter, to the point that the would be step mother slaps and locks the girl in her room.
Granted, these were other times, the protagonist herself does not make much out of the incident, unless we consider that she prepares a scenario for the downfall, elimination of this presence in her life and that of her parent that she considers nefarious.
Meanwhile, Cecile has been seeing a young man with a boat, Cyril, who is about twenty-five, the same age as Elsa and their closeness becomes an intimate affair, they make love, somehow in spite of the fact that apparently the girl is in love with him today and indifferent tomorrow.
The protagonist wants to get her father back together with Elsa, knowing full well that this would be for a few months only – which is most likely the point – and to eliminate the prospect of having Anne, who would be overbearing and too much to handle for child and parent.
Cecile concocts a plan wherein Elsa returns to live with Cyril and his mother, pretending they are lovers, hence making Raymond jealous, willing to take his old “property” back and demolishing the mighty status that Anne had established in the household in such a short time.
Bonjour tristesse, the title and the first few lines in this work anticipate top a great extent the situation, loss of happiness that may entail in what is an interesting narrative, if not the absolute masterpiece that one might have hoped for.
Comentarii
Trimiteți un comentariu