Published in the first quarter of the 20th century, the novels Chéri and The Last of Chéri combine to reveal a classic story of a love affair between a young rich man, Chéri (Frédérick Peloux), and a charming elder woman, Léa (Léa de Lonval).  With great insight into human mental preoccupations at both young and old ages, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette depicts an attachment shared by both Chéri and Léa that can be characterized as a deep, unyielding, fixation.  Chéri opens with both Chéri and Léa's life ins medias res, but as readers we are unaware of Léa's past experiences and her former love affairs, thus making it difficult if not impossible for us to assess and evaluate her fixation on the young Chéri. However, as readers we learn of Chéri while he is still significantly young and inexperienced, thus making it easier to assess and evaluate his fixation on Léa.  The concept of fixation was articulated by Sigmund Freud in Beyond the Pleasure Principle (1920), and can be summarized as a strong attachment to a person or thing, especially such an attachment formed in childhood or infancy and manifested in immature or neurotic behavior that persists throughout life.  This description fits well the portrayal of Chéri in The Last of Chéri.

     Chéri carries us through the passionate six-year love affair between Chéri and Léa.  Léa is fully aware that Chéri is childish and shows no indication of changing.  The reader learns this through Léa's internal monologues like this one:

'That's that,' Léa thought.  'We'll have a lake in the bathroom and eight towels floating in it, and razor scrapings in the basin.  If only I had two bathrooms'

The above passage comes to us as Chéri rushes into the bathroom shouting with child-like ludicrous self-importance "mine".  Léa then goes on to proclaim:

Marriage for Chéri!  It's not possible, it's not...human...you can't give an innocent girl to Chéri!  Why it would be throwing a doe to the hounds!  People don't know what Chéri is!

Again referring to his childish character.  As the story continues, we learn that Chéri is set to marry Edmee, a young nubile daughter of a woman of high society.  Chéri hopes that marrying Edmee he will escape the claws of Léa's love, he so loves to he held by.  But this is not the case as is presented in The Last of Chéri.

     Ten years after leaving Léa, and having fought in a war, Chéri finds that he is still not happy with Edmee.  Throughout the entire story of The Last of Chéri, Chéri finds himself returning to thoughts of Léa.  He visits her one evening and finds that she is now 60 years old and is no longer caring for herself.  They engage in a conversation in which she makes clear that she was in love with him.  Chéri is unwilling to have a sexual relationship with her.  Although this is the case he can not rid his mind of her.   As the story goes on he encounters Pal and frequents her home to see the various pictures of the "old" Léa.  On his final evening he is alone holding a picture of Léa before him as he utters:

...I knew very well.  When you sent me away, my Nounoune, what did you think there was left for me after you?  Your noble action cost you little – you knew the worth of Chéri – your risk was negligible.  But we've been well punished, you and I: you, because you were born so long before me, and I, because I loved you above all women.  You're finished now, you have found your consolation – and what a disgrace that is! – whereas I...As long as people say, "There was the War", I can say "There was Léa."  Léa, the War...I never imagined I'd dream of either of them again, yet the two together have driven me outside the times I live in.  Henceforth, there is nowhere in the world where I can occupy more than half a place...

The above monologue is the last, which involves Léa and it reveals Chéri's unbreakable bond to the past which hinders his maturity.  He is fixated on Léa.

     Colette's ability to artfully present human nature with compassionate insight undeniably is what makes both Chéri  and The Last of Chéri both enduring masterpieces that are enjoyable to all ages for all ages.

-O. James

© Orin James 2008