Throughout the monologue "Sophie et Apolline" there is a significant difference in the morals and opinions of these two French girls. They both seem as though they are having a conversation with one another, yet they are both at very different stages of their lives. They both start off talking about smoking; its consequences, what role it plays in their life and how they view it as a whole. Smoking is merely a metaphor for the rest of the topics discussed in the monologue. Sophie, in my portrayal of the monologue is the younger girl. She is more open to new things because she hasn't yet been jaded from the real world and seems as though she has a much better relationship with those around her who encourage her. Apolline on the other hand seems as though she is much more "worn" from the world around her. She sees more clearly what’s wrong and right from her past experiences. You can also tell that the people around her are more silenced, bringing her to find all her conclusions about society.
Sophie, the more 'enthusiastic about life' character, portrays a young girl that hasn't yet suffered the big consequences in life on account of various factors in her life such as family and experiences. She mentions the first time she had sex. "It was very good. He cared about me. He said he wasn't a virgin but I think he was. He was shy and didn't know what he was doing. He was kind with me." She explains her first experience with sex as if it was nothing to her and probably more to the boy she was having sex with. She doesn't seem at all guilty or disgusted with herself. On the other hand, Apollines story was a little different. "It was very bad. The boy wasn't my boyfriend. Just a friend. I didn't want to have sex. I was a little drunk. I regret that he wasn't the boy I liked." Apolline feels much more remorse for her first time and feels a little jaded from the experience, however has learned from it, "I am with my boyfriend now. He is gentile. He pays attention to me. We have sex one or two times a week."
Not only do these girls differ in sexual experiences, the environment around them also effects how they view the world. Sophie is very open with her father which boosts her confidence with boys and makes it easier for her to make moral decisions. "I talk to my father about sex. He asks me questions. He asks if it good for me and what we did. Sometimes I don't answer. He says I have to be careful. Don't get pregnant and diseases." Apolline has a very different relationship with her parents. "I wish my parents knew I had a boyfriend. They wouldn't approve so I don't tell them." with this relationship, it's "swept under the rug in a sense. She doesn't get that confirmation from her parents that it is okay to be intimate with others. Which is why I think a big reason she regrets her first time is because it was so discouraged in her family.
I found myself reading this monologue about three times over. I knew the minute I started reading it, it's what I wanted to blog about. However, I couldn't figure out what aspect of the monologue I wanted to blog about. There were so many different metaphors and issues I could relate to. Gladly, the last time I read the monologue I started to pick up on how different these two girls were although the best of friends. It was very interesting to see the distinct differences between the two and actually being able to relate to both was in a way...rewarding because it shows that I too have their aspirations, their fears and most importantly a best-friendship that also cannot be described.
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