Bonjour Tristesse

Main Characters and Their Development

• Cécile - a seventeen-year-old girl, the main character and narrator. She lives with her father and enjoys a carefree life full of parties and flirtations. Throughout the book, Cécile undergoes an internal conflict between her desire for freedom and a sense of responsibility. Her character evolves from a frivolous and selfish girl to a more mature individual aware of the consequences of her actions.
• Raymond - Cécile's father, a forty-year-old widower who leads a carefree lifestyle, changing women and enjoying luxury. He loves his daughter but doesn't always understand her. Throughout the book, his character also undergoes changes as he faces the serious consequences of his actions and begins to realize the importance of stability and responsibility.
• Anne Larsen - a friend of Cécile's late mother, an intelligent and elegant woman who visits them. She represents the opposite of Cécile and Raymond's carefree lifestyle. Anne seeks to bring order and discipline into their lives. Her character remains steadfast and principled until the end, but her attempts to change Cécile and Raymond's lives lead to tragic consequences.
• Elsa Maxwell - a young and beautiful woman, Raymond's mistress at the beginning of the book. She is frivolous and superficial, enjoying life without thinking about the future. Her character does not undergo significant changes, and she remains a symbol of a carefree and hedonistic lifestyle.