Colette’s Kaleidoscope: A Study of Color, Mirrors, and ...

COLETTE`S KALEIDOSCOPE: A STUDY OF COLORS, MIRRORS, AND CONTINUTIES IN CHERI AND GIGI

By COURTNEY KEADY

A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2010 1

? 2010 Courtney Keady 2

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank my committee chair, Dr. Carol Murphy, and my committee member, Dr. Brigitte Weltman-Aron. I thank also my first French teacher, Mrs. Magdalena Nica.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS page

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................3 ABSTRACT...................................................................................................5 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................7 2 COLORS...........................................................................................16 3 MIRRORS..........................................................................................25 4 CONTINUITIES...................................................................................32 5 CONCLUSION....................................................................................60 WORKS CITED............................................................................................62 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .............................................................................63

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Abstract of Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts

COLETTE`S KALEIDOSCOPE: A STUDY OF COLORS, MIRRORS, AND CONTINUTIES IN CHERI AND GIGI

By

Courtney Keady

Chair: Carol Murphy Major: French

December 2010

In reading Ch?ri and Gigi, by French novelist, Colette, one remarks the sensual,

stylistic descriptions of characters, settings, and situations. Colette strategically employs

color juxtapositions, mirrors, and character similarities, which create a kaleidoscopic

world both within and between the two works. The two differing female protagonists and

their love stories are thus linked by the way in which they are portrayed.

Color combinations as character descriptors are significant due to their effects on

surrounding characters and Colette`s readers. They allow Colette to cleverly express a

character`s emotions without actually referring to them. These color pairings also serve

as a link between characters, as such physical resemblances suggest that the two

characters are also experiencing similar feelings.

Mirrors, which appear in the opening and closing scenes of Ch?ri, function as

framework to the story and give the reader insight into a character`s actual physical

appearance as well as into the character`s opinion of this appearance. These opinions,

whether distorted or truthful, provide explanations for many of the characters` actions

and show the similarities between characters` thought processes.

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