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Bonjour Tristesse

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Cecile is a precocious 17 year old girl who is holidaying in the south of France with her father.
If one defines a father as a figure in one’s life who cares, nurtures, teaches, protects and shelters his offspring then one could make the argument that, in fact, Cecile never really had a ‘father’ to begin with. In place of a traditional ‘father-daughter’ bond lies a relationship based on mimicry, freedom, carlessness, and inappropriately, sexuality. Cecile lacks a mother and evidentally is completely satisfied with that being the case, speaking of her as Raymond’s wife and not as her mother.

‘’My father was forty, and had been a widower for fifteen years’’

Cecile’s precociousness has allowed her to become …show more content…

As Cecile see’s her father leave one woman for another over mainly appearance one cannot help but understand Cecile’s lack of compassion regarding relationships, such as Cryil.

We see Cecile have a Summer romance of her own in Bonjour Tristesse with a law student named Cyril. Throughout the relationship it becomes apparent that Cyril is fonder than Cecile is of him. The only time Cecile instigates any romanticism it seems that it is just to spite Anne after she forbade her to see him. Cyril even attempts to propose but Cecile replies with vague responses and not answers. It seems that Ceciles lack of commitment resembles that of her fathers’.

‘’...he was on the verge of real love. I thought it would be nice for me to be in love with him, too.’’

Anne’s new found position in the household is certainly a shock to the system for Cecile. While Raymond wasn’t even fazed by Cecile failing her exams, Anne now wantes her to terminate her relationship with Cyril and focus on her studies. Cecile is torn between the traditional family stability that Anne’s presence promises or the fun and free lifestyle she had with Raymond. Eventually she decides the latter. She hatches a plan involving Cyril and Elsa falling in love. Cecile knew that seeing Elsa and Cyril together would make Elsa irrisistable once again. As Anne is about to catch Raymond cheating on her with Elsa,

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