Opinion on Bonjour Tristesse
Bonjour Tristesse became my summer lover. It is a beautiful novel that managed to transport me to the French seaside, make me feel the cool summer breeze, and forget about my troubles the same way the main character, Cécile, and her father did. The book lured me in and encouraged me to lounge outdoors with Cécile while I read for hours under the summer sun.
I found the main character, Cécile, painfully relatable. She is very self-aware and understands her own emotions quite well. She even criticizes herself, or rather makes note of her behaviors in a very interesting way. “I knew nothing; he was going to show me Paris, luxury, the easy life. … Even now, I am not ashamed of indulging in these pleasures, in fact I just take them for granted. I would rather deny myself my moods of mysticism or despair than give them up. My love of pleasure seems to be the only coherent side of my character. Perhaps it is because I have not read enough?” Here she acknowledges her ignorance and simple attitude toward life and even comments that her lack of depth could be rooted in her lack of reading and learning. She focuses on self-indulgence and pleasure with her new lover, Cyril. I love the way she expresses herself because I feel a similar way. I have spent most of my summer indulging in pleasure, just as Cécile does, whether that be by reading, listening to music, or by selfishly enjoying an elegant board of charcuterie. We are both young and free of responsibility, and therefore our only care is our pleasure.
On one occasion, Cécile is caught by Anne, her father’s new “lady friend”, kissing her lover on the beach. Cécile is a free spirit who went against what was expected of other girls of her time. She embraces her sexuality freely and doesn’t feel the need to marry (at least not currently.) She even says, “I looked at him: I had never loved him. I had found him gentle and attractive. I had loved the pleasure he gave me, but I did not need him.” This demonstrates how she simply used Cyril like she used other things, for her pleasure, in this case, sexual. This upset Anne, who believed a young girl like Cécile must focus on her studies and marry a man chosen for her, which was what the rest of society would also expect from a girl her age. Cécile fiercely defied the norms of submission and virginity in search of her own happiness. When this novel was published in 1954, it was revolutionary because it depicted an independent young woman in control of her own sexuality. It went against traditional values, expectations for women, and the patriarchy. It was problematic for its time, but now I find it inspiring. Cécile inspires me to seek adventure and leisure. She inspires me to take a moment for myself even when the world demands so much from me.
With all that said, I think it is also important to mention how Cécile’s fear of losing her carefree lifestyle and her father’s attention motivated her to do irreversible damage. Her jealousy and selfishness led her to elaborate a plan to separate her father and Anne. It ultimately worked but also killed Anne in the process. This provides a valuable lesson on how strong emotions we experience during adolescence can have negative outcomes if we do not manage them effectively.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I don’t think it’s for everyone. I believe young women would appreciate this book because we see our emotions and desires reflected in Cécile. I think most younger men would not fully understand the significance of Cécile’s freedoms and free-spirited attitude or the motives for her actions because men have traditionally been given more power and freedom. However, I think fathers and husbands could use this book to have a glimpse into the mind of a teenage daughter and understand the complex emotions and actions of women. This book explores the unique relationship between a father and a daughter and how delicate it can be. In conclusion, Bonjour Tristesse is a transformative book because it touches on topics like sexuality and father-daughter relationships and wraps it all up in what feels like a summer dream. It makes those who relate to Cécile not feel as alone or lost, but also reminds us how fragile life is and how delicate human relationships and emotions are. It is a beautifully written French classic that makes readers feel deeply and reflect even deeper.
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