Bonjour tristesse; Farewell Sagan

Born Francoise Quoirez in Cajarc in southwestern France into a well-to-do family, Ms. Sagan was educated in private and convent schools in France and Switzerland. Ms. Sagan died of heart and lung failure at a hospital near her home in Normandy when she was 69.

Dear MS Sagan,

   I am here writing to you at my 18.

   At your age of 18, you took your pseudonym from a character in Marcel Proust’s "Remembrance of Things Past" and chose to become Ms Sagan.  At your age of 18, you walked towards the public, holding the novel “Bonjour Tristesse”.  At your age of 18, you laughed to those critics whom called you immoral and viewed you as a spokesman. You took drug, drunk and had relationship with tons of men. However, you are the passion!

   When I was 15, I read your book “Bonjour Tristesse” in the English class and fell in love with your book. Cecile, shofting between jealousy and adoration, hesitated in her sorrow. Her behavior appealed to me and, in my opinion, all the teenagers. I thought you were the sadness. Nonetheless, you said, “I believe in passion. Nothing else.” Maybe in some point, you are the bad example of the lifestyle and moral. But what you taught me in your book was truly important. You taught me what a teenager should think and do not regret. Moreover, I believe that “Bonjour Tristesse” is your goodbye to the teenager life and greeting to your grownup life since you taught me how I should transform my mind during the growth, especially from the teenager to an adult.  

   When I was 16, I read more and more your books that year, and begin to understand why you were hailed as “a charming little monster” and how yotwo u became a icon of the French romantic literacy.  When I was 17, I tried to compare you and Marguerite Donnadieu but failed. You are so different. You are passionate and powerful. You seemed to stay in the age of 18 and stay in your unique life.

   Now, at my age of 18, after three-year love of you, I think I should say goodbye to you. I am 18, an adult in my country. I need to go on my life instead

of staying the teenage years. I would still read your books maybe several years later but now I need to quit you. I need to quit the addition of your book, your passion and your way of thinking. Then I will go on to my life since I cannot stay in 18 like you. The reality doesn’t always allow the fighter cross over. You are the successful fighter but I chose to be a normal girl. So I want to farewell you.

   Goodbye Francoise Sagan.

   Even though you won’t know me, goodbye again, to you and my gradually leaving youth.

   Goodbye.

     Yours sincerely