Cheri Essay -- essays research papers

In Colette’s Chà ©ri, the main character Là ©a is a lustful middle-aged woman who has become lovers with a younger fellow named Chà ©ri. At the beginning of the novel, their relationship is portrayed as being thick with devotion and seems likely to endure forever. But by the end, the two have split indefinitely, leaving Là ©a with unanswered passion from Chà ©ri. What could have caused this relationship to crumble to the point of extinction, even while their love was so strong for each other? Là ©a’s increasing overconfidence toward her relationship with Chà ©ri leads to her hopeless state of naà ¯vety. She becomes so encompassed with thoughts of only Chà ©ri and that she would do anything for Chà ©ri, that he ends up taking advantage of her; in the process, however, he also robs Là ©a of her freedom to love someone else passionately.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since Là ©a is a respectable amount of years older than Chà ©ri, she believes that it is her duty to have Chà ©ri taken care of physically and emotionally. For one, the age difference between her and her lover secures her in this thought. She becomes so confident in retaining Chà ©ri under her wing for six years, that she is bold enough to liken their relationship to â€Å"an adoption† (7). Là ©a, at times, even views Chà ©ri as her son and herself as the mother, and the distinction in their age clearly supports her theory. She recognizes though, and is even embarrassed to admit, that their relationship has gone on longer than it should have, longer than any she has ever had (7). Here, time alone contributes to Cheri’s emerging dominance. This blind sense of power that Là ©a experiences, however, leads her mind to return to a state of naà ¯vety. Là ©a is once again an adolescent but Chà ©ri is no longer her bachelor, rather, he takes on the role of her parent. At the moment that she feels as if the relationship is in her control, Là ©a unknowingly grants Chà ©ri the leadership to their love. When Là ©a is finally secure enough to admit that their love might actually last and that she is confident in keeping the controls, this is the point where she looses her hold on Chà ©ri, and he is instead dominant over her. Although Là ©a’s naà ¯vety leads to Chà ©ri’s supremacy, it is also due to Chà ©ri’s realization that he is a man capable of controlling women, especially vulnerable, older women that leads to Chà ©ri’s dominion. Since Chà ©ri is the younger of the two l... ...at his youthful charm has done the trick once more. Chà ©ri’s sudden departure for his wedding and at the end of the novel clearly shows his ability to control Là ©a. He is so powerful, in fact, that Là ©a is no longer able to love someone else passionately. At Chà ©ri’s primary departure for his wedding, Là ©a even has to lie about having a new lover; the love that she possesses for Chà ©riwas simply too strong for her to ignore, although she doesn’t mind lying to others to show a seemingly transitory recovery. She simply doesn’t want people to know that Chà ©ri has affected her, a courtesan. She wants to prove to others, though distorting it to herself, that she is capable of terminating her feelings for Chà ©ri just like he is capable of denying her as well. Là ©a’s strength is clearly also her weakness: although she possesses the ability to be confident and firm, her relationship with Chà ©ri has brought her confidence and willingness to the point of excess, and the boldness she once showed to others has in turn backfired. She is no longer dominant over Chà ©ri in the relationship, but only realizes this after he is gone from her life. She finally understands that he will be the last of her lovers.