Francoise Sagan, "Hello, sadness": summary, analysis and characteristics

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

From the novel "Hello, sadness", a summary of which is presented in this article, the creative path of the French writer Francoise Sagan began. The work was published in 1954. It was a brilliant success with both critics and readers.

About the author

When it comes to the work of Sagan, the first thing that comes to mind is "Hello, sadness." The summary of the novel should be known, but it is better, of course, to read it in full. After all, this is one of the most famous works of the XX century. Before summarizing Hello, Sadness, it is worth saying a few words about the author.

Francoise Sagan was born in 1935. At the age of 19, she gained fame not only in France, but also abroad, thanks to the work to which today's article is devoted. The plot of the novel "Hello, Sadness", a summary of which is given below, is based on a rather simple story. But this work shocked the public. The writer, despite her young age,demonstrated subtle observation, knowledge of human psychology.

Sagan's other works - "Lost Profile", "Do You Love Brahms?", "A Little Sun in Cold Water", "Painted Lady". Her works have been translated into 30 languages. Despite huge fees, Françoise Sagan spent the last years of her life in poverty. The writer did not like to save, moreover, like many other talented creative personalities, she abused alcohol. The French writer passed away in 2004.

Hello Sadness Outline

Francoise Sagan called herself a "playgirl". Everything she did, she did intuitively, at the call of her heart. At the age of 18, she failed the entrance exams to the Sorbonne, instead writing the novel Hello, Sadness. A summary of the chapters can be presented according to the following plan:

• Cecile and Raymond.
• Anna.
• Meet Cyril.
• Saving father.
• Anna's death.
• Sadness.

Very short retelling of "Hello Sadness" Sagan: A frivolous girl started a game that led to tragedy. The events that happened to the characters of the novel are described below in more detail. The work of the young writer was once met with a flurry of critical articles. Resonance in society caused, of course, the young age of the author. But not only him. What struck critics and readers in Sagan's book? We'll talk about this later. And first - a summary of “Hello, sadness” by F. Sagan.

Cecile and Raymond

The action of the novel takes place in the fifties. The main character is a girl named Cecile. She was born into a we althy family, studied at a Catholic boarding school. Cecile's mother died. After leaving the boarding school, the girl lives with her father, a young, cheerful man who prefers the company of cheerful, although not very educated and intelligent people. Both Cecile and her youthful father look at life too lightly. A man regularly makes mistresses, which does not bother his daughter at all. On the contrary, such a life full of entertainment and empty talk suits a girl quite well.

Anna

The main events take place on the Cote d'Azur. The main character is 17 years old. She goes to the sea with her father. Together with them, Reimon's frivolous young lover Elsa rides. Everything is going well. But suddenly Cecile finds out that her father is expecting Anna, a friend of her dead mother. The girl treats her well, but the news does not please her at all.

Anna is a correct, refined, very serious woman. Once upon a time, it was she who instilled in Cecile good taste, taught how to dress, behave in society. However, Cecile has a poor idea of what Anna and Elsa's communication will look like. After all, the latter is a limited, frivolous person, constantly chirping, interested exclusively in secular news. It is unlikely that these women will find a common language. In addition, Cecile understands that with the arrival of Anna, serene, full of delight days will end. The girl is not wrong in her guesses.

Raymon and Elsa are going to the stationmeet a guest. But the unexpected happens. After waiting there for a while, they return. It turns out that Anna arrived in her own car. It is located in one of the rooms. The first days in the resort life of Cecile, nothing changes. In addition, Anna, being a woman of intelligence and tact, calmly listens to Elsa's stupid chatter, which deserves Raymon's gratitude.

Meet Cyril

On the beach, Cecile meets a young man one day. His name is Cyril. Together they sunbathe, swim, ride a sailboat. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the house is heating up. The fact is that Raymond suddenly suddenly becomes interested in Anna. The frivolous Elsa of him, a man who, it would seem, was not created for a serious relationship, begins to annoy. In the end, an affair develops between Anna and Raymond. Elsa leaves. The father soon brings the news to Cecile: he is going to marry Anna.

Cecile treats Anna well. However, the girl understands that after her father's marriage, her life will change dramatically. There is no doubt that this woman will put an end to the frivolous lifestyle that she and her father lead.

Cecile is increasingly dating Cyril. The girl is ready for physical intimacy, although she does not love the young man at all. One day, Anna finds her future stepdaughter in company with Cyril and realizes that the relationship of these young people is by no means platonic. The woman asks him to leave the house. Cecile convinces of the need to prepare for the upcoming exam in philosophy. All this is a lot of depressing the main character. And suddenly shea plan comes to mind, the implementation of which will get rid of tight control and return everything to normal.

Saving Father

One day Elsa comes to Reimon and Cecile's house to get her things. Then the main character initiates her into her plan. This plan is to make the father jealous. If Elsa spends a lot of time in front of him with Cyril, she will hurt his male pride. Raymon decides to return Elsa, which Anna will not forgive him. Cecile convinces her father's former lover that he still loves her. Elsa, who is not inclined to analyze what is happening, easily believes, and she likes the idea of \u200b\u200b"saving" Raymon.

Everything is going like clockwork. Cecile's plan turns out to be successful. It's easy to make Raymon jealous, and Elsa can easily handle this task. A man sees his former mistress in the company of a young man and decides to return her. At least for a while, just to assert itself. Cecile begins to realize that she is playing with fire: Raymond's betrayal will be a heavy blow for Anna. But it is already difficult for a girl to stop the mechanism that she has launched. In addition, she is too passionate about the role of director in this dangerous game.

Anna's death

The ending of the famous novel by Francoise Sagan is tragic. Anna finds out about Reiman's betrayal. She leaves the house in tears. Cecile tries to stop her, but she does not want to listen to anything. Anna gets in the car and drives away.

This evening father and daughter spend together. They understand thattreated Anna badly, and decide to write her a letter. But then the phone rings. They call from the police: Anna crashed in a car. Raymon and Cecile drive to the scene. On the way, the girl realizes that Anna has rendered them an invaluable service. She made it possible to believe in an accident.

Sadness

A year passes. Raymond and Cecile seem to have forgotten about the tragedy that happened last summer. They still burn through life: they live for their own pleasure, surrounded by secular and empty people. But at times Cecile becomes very sad. It's a strange feeling. A feeling that Cecile had never known before. This is the summary.

“Hello, sadness” Sagan wrote, one might say, with her heart, because she transferred all feelings and thoughts to the pages of her works. She amazed readers with unprecedented courage, depth of reflection on life. But what was it about her novel that resonated most with readers?

Françoise Sagan's novel Hello Sadness: Analysis

The novel that turned Sagan into a literary star in the early fifties tells the story of a seventeen-year-old girl. Young people are characterized by naivety, idealism. But there is none of that in Sagan's work.

An important fact is that Cecile studied at a Catholic boarding school. In such educational institutions, the conditions were quite strict, if not harsh. The pupils of the boarding school received not only certain knowledge, but also proper moral education. And here is one of them,embarrassed, he tells on the pages of his book about dreams of physical intimacy, that communication with beautiful, albeit stupid people brings much more pleasure than with deep, meaningful personalities. In the words of her main character - shocking frankness. There is not a drop of hypocrisy and ostentatious integrity in them - all that is inherent in the representatives of the world to which the heroes of the novel belong.