"Hallo! What now? Having breakfast without me!"
It was Cécile, just come from her bed, her eyes heavy with sleep. She had simply put up her hair and flung on a white woollen dressing-gown.
"No, no!" said the mother; "you see we are all waiting. Eh? has the wind prevented you from sleeping, poor darling?"
The young girl looked at her in great surprise.
"Has it been windy? I didn't know anything about it. I haven't moved all night."
Then they thought this funny, and all three began to laugh; the servants who were bringing in the breakfast also broke out laughing, so amused was the household at the idea that mademoiselle had been sleeping for twelve hours right off. The sight of the brioche completed the expansion of their faces.
"What! Is it cooked, then?" said Cécile; '"that must be a surprise for me! That'll be good now, hot, with the chocolate!"
Emile Zola, Germinal
I always liked the character of Cecile Gregoire in Germinal. A sweet-natured eighteen-year-old girl, whom her parents shelter from the world. The father might be busy "clawing a fortune out of the guts of society" (Steinbeck), but Cecile is their cherished daughter. She's a romantic girl, and happily gives away her stuff -and brioche- whenever she has a chance. She plays with the children when Maheude, a miner's wife, comes to borrow five francs. Her parents won't let her give away money. She has no idea of the world she's part of. She's just busy taking piano lessons, reading books and drinking chocolate.
Cecile was her parents' island of innocence and purity. Their daily activities were worthwhile in order to dot on Cecile, and maybe one day marry their lovely daughter to a notable of the area. Her giving has disastrous effects, the miners hate her inadvertant condescendence. When they raise against the mine owners, they murder Cecile in order to uterly destroy her father.
I like Cecile, because like her, I sometimes want to share the fun of a mainstream lifestyle. I love dotting on people, and on some level, I'm sure that it's not that stupid. One of the most popular charity in France makes a point of giving diamonds and Spa holidays to people who have never experienced them. I want to invite people into my life, I want to let them borrow books, CDs, come in my home anytime. I want to treat everyone like I treat my little sister: cook, take bubble baths, watch DVDs, eat Italian biscotti with cappucino, read magazines, meet my friends. I would like to provide a heterotopic place in which the folks I love can refresh themselves, a little island of friendly normalcy.
It has worked beautifully before, semi-strangers evolved into lifelong friends and really enjoyed the hospitality, which they soon reciprocated. While on other occasions it has seriously backfired and I was perceived as a monster of condescension. And I don't think I behaved any differently, though I probably should be more tuned to different personalities and adapt to each person.
At the end of the day, I wonder whether I'm right in my idea that the mainstream can be really therapeutic. I think I am, I've seen it work with folks who soon felt at home there. But I have a nagging feeling that on some level I might also be wrong, that's why I'm haunted by Cecile. Must think some more. Meanwhile, I'm off to make a luscious hot chocolate with biscotti to go with my book.
It was Cécile, just come from her bed, her eyes heavy with sleep. She had simply put up her hair and flung on a white woollen dressing-gown.
"No, no!" said the mother; "you see we are all waiting. Eh? has the wind prevented you from sleeping, poor darling?"
The young girl looked at her in great surprise.
"Has it been windy? I didn't know anything about it. I haven't moved all night."
Then they thought this funny, and all three began to laugh; the servants who were bringing in the breakfast also broke out laughing, so amused was the household at the idea that mademoiselle had been sleeping for twelve hours right off. The sight of the brioche completed the expansion of their faces.
"What! Is it cooked, then?" said Cécile; '"that must be a surprise for me! That'll be good now, hot, with the chocolate!"
Emile Zola, Germinal
I always liked the character of Cecile Gregoire in Germinal. A sweet-natured eighteen-year-old girl, whom her parents shelter from the world. The father might be busy "clawing a fortune out of the guts of society" (Steinbeck), but Cecile is their cherished daughter. She's a romantic girl, and happily gives away her stuff -and brioche- whenever she has a chance. She plays with the children when Maheude, a miner's wife, comes to borrow five francs. Her parents won't let her give away money. She has no idea of the world she's part of. She's just busy taking piano lessons, reading books and drinking chocolate.
Cecile was her parents' island of innocence and purity. Their daily activities were worthwhile in order to dot on Cecile, and maybe one day marry their lovely daughter to a notable of the area. Her giving has disastrous effects, the miners hate her inadvertant condescendence. When they raise against the mine owners, they murder Cecile in order to uterly destroy her father.
I like Cecile, because like her, I sometimes want to share the fun of a mainstream lifestyle. I love dotting on people, and on some level, I'm sure that it's not that stupid. One of the most popular charity in France makes a point of giving diamonds and Spa holidays to people who have never experienced them. I want to invite people into my life, I want to let them borrow books, CDs, come in my home anytime. I want to treat everyone like I treat my little sister: cook, take bubble baths, watch DVDs, eat Italian biscotti with cappucino, read magazines, meet my friends. I would like to provide a heterotopic place in which the folks I love can refresh themselves, a little island of friendly normalcy.
It has worked beautifully before, semi-strangers evolved into lifelong friends and really enjoyed the hospitality, which they soon reciprocated. While on other occasions it has seriously backfired and I was perceived as a monster of condescension. And I don't think I behaved any differently, though I probably should be more tuned to different personalities and adapt to each person.
At the end of the day, I wonder whether I'm right in my idea that the mainstream can be really therapeutic. I think I am, I've seen it work with folks who soon felt at home there. But I have a nagging feeling that on some level I might also be wrong, that's why I'm haunted by Cecile. Must think some more. Meanwhile, I'm off to make a luscious hot chocolate with biscotti to go with my book.
Picture: Actress Cecile Bois, plays Cecile in the 1993 movie Germinal
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