‘The Inseparables’: Simone de Beauvoir’s novella speaks of the crushing weight borne by women
The book serves as a reminder of the necessity for women to form intimate bonds of care (often in unspoken ways) despite facing restrictive systems of power.
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On the 95th death anniversary of Simone de Beauvoir’s dear friend, Elisabeth Lacoin, we reread Beauvoir’s Les Inséparables or The Inseparables as a tribute to their friendship. Set in 1920s France, the novella captures an intense, transformative bond shared between the two. When they met at the age of nine at a Parisian school, Lacoin or Zaza, only two weeks older than Beauvoir, became an important agent of political socialisation for one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century.
Picture this – you find a friend who is a reflection of your own soul – a person who understands your deepest thoughts, aspirations, fears, and the desire to break free from the confines of society. Through Sylvie, who is based on Beauvoir herself, she paints a portrait of friendship that feels personal as well as revealing. And Andrée, inspired by Lacoin, is captivated by Beauvoir’s intellect, independence, and unwavering honesty – qualities that make her stand out from the rest of her world. In the novella, the duo challenge and seek solace in one another against the restrictive backdrop of post-war French conventions.
Female friendships
Written in 1954 and published in 2020, this “lost” novella offers a window into Beauvoir’s early experiences and a preview of the themes she would...
