Bonjour Tristesse

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Bonjour Tristesse (in English, Hello, Sadness) is a novel by Françoise Sagan. Published in 1954, when the author was only eighteen, it caused an overnight sensation.

The 1958 film Bonjour Tristesse featured music by Georges Auric, and had Jean Seberg and David Niven as lead actors.

[edit] Plot Overview

Bonjour Tristesse is the story of a 17-year-old girl named Cécile who spends her summer in a villa on the French Rivera with her father and two other women. Her father, Raymond, is a seductive man who doesn't hesitate to flirt with any woman he wants. Among these women, is Elsa Mackenbourg, she and Cécile get on well. She comes to the villa to spend her summer with her lover (Raymond), she is like most of women that Cécile has seen enter the life of her father and exit fairly quickly; young and fashionable. Cécile is a little naive and tries to act like an adult by going for men of the same age as her father. Her love life is unsuccessful until she meets Cyril. Raymond, Elsa and Cécile are having a quiet summer until Anne Larsen arrives by an invite from Raymond. Anne is very different to the others because she gives great importance to culture, education and intelligence. From then on a fight begins for the attention of Raymond between the three women.

[edit] Characters

Cécile

Cécile is a 17 year old girl who lives with her father because her mother died when she was two years old.

Raymond

Raymond is a 40 year old widower, the father of Cécile.

Elsa

Raymond's mistress at the start of the book. She is 29, tall and has red hair.

Anne

Anne was a friend of Cécile's mother, she is 42. She is invited to the villa by Raymond. They form a relationship and get engaged.

Cyril

Cyril is 25 years old, lives with his mother and is a student at university studying law. He is good at sailing and is in love with Cécile.

[edit] Analysis

The book is split into two parts; during the first part Cécile is very naïve and behaves like a young child. In the second part she is more mature and acts more like an adult.

One of the most important use of symbols is that of the sea and the sun. The sea is a maternal symbol and the sun a paternal symbol. Throughout the book, Françoise Sagan uses the sea to show Cécile is missing her mother. For example, when she realises that she is losing an argument with Anne, she runs to the sea, like a child runs to their mother when something goes wrong.

There are numerous references to the fact that Cécile is missing the presence of a mother figure. Anne Larsen tries to fill this role, in the first part of the book she accepts this more but as she "grows up", she begins to resent Anne.

Some argue that Cécile lacks the role of a father as well, even though Raymond is present. Raymond's behavior is immature and he doesn't treat his daughter like a child or even a teenager. He buys her an exotic dress and takes her to casinos. This behavior confuses Cécile and she does not know whether she is supposed to act like an adult or a teenager.

When Anne arrives she tries to put Cécile into the place of a child, adding further confusion to Cécile's life.