‘Inseparable’ by Simone de Beauvoir (2021) – 156 pages             Translated from the French by Sandra Smith

The novella ‘Inseparable’ is based on the real child friendship of Simone de Beauvoir and Elizabeth Lacoin (Zaza). The photograph on the cover is of them which was found in a letter of Simone’s to Zaza dated September 15, 1920. Simone at that time would have been 13 years old. However this real friendship has been transformed into fiction in ‘Inseparable’. Beauvoir wrote this novella in 1954, but it was not published until this year.

‘Inseparable’ was written sixty years before Elena Ferrante turned the history of a friendship between two young girls into four best sellers.

“There is nothing sweeter in the world than feeling there is someone who can completely understand you and on whose friendship you can count on absolutely.” – Zaza’s letter to Simone, Sept 3, 1927

In the novella, Simone and Zaza are Sylvie and Andrée. The friendship between the two girls begins when they are nine years old and continues through the next 12 years. They met at age nine in Catholic parochial school. Catholicism plays a significant major role in this friendship.

“For a daughter, the predetermined path led straight to marriage or a convent; she could not decide her fate according to her own desires or feelings.”

Therein lies the problem for the developing woman Andrée.

Sylvie and Andrée are much different from each other as good friends often are. Sylvie is steady; Andrée is impulsive.

Sylvie’s parents are nominally Catholic and intellectual. Her father no longer believes in God. And Sylvie, during high school, questions her faith and decides that she also is a non-believer. Andrée’s family, especially her mother Madame Gallard, are rigorous strict Catholics. Madame Gallard continually steers Andrée away from spending time with Sylvie, but somehow Sylvie and Andrée are able to continue their close friendship through high school.

There are hints along the way of an ominous doomed ending.

Grade:    B