A teenage girl's single day, from waking up to going to bed, is told in a restless stream of moods: the commuter train, school, housework, and a quiet evening reading to her mother. She is sharp, self-mocking and unsure which of her selves is real.
Books mentioned in Schoolgirl (4)
Madame Curie by Eve Curie: “Standing still in the same pose, I suddenly crave money. If I had ten yen it would do. Of all the books, I most want to read 'Madame Curie.' Then I find myself wishing that Mother will live a long life. [auto-translated]”
A Strange Tale from East of the River by Nagai Kafu: “While I tend the bath, sitting on a mandarin-orange crate by the flickering coal fire, I finish my homework, and then reread 'A Strange Tale from East of the River.' What it describes is not ugly or dirty at all, but here and there I notice the author's affectation, and it feels old and uncertain. [auto-translated]”
Heart by Edmondo De Amicis: “Tonight, after the massage, I read a little of 'Heart' to Mother as a bonus. Whenever I read it, I get the same feeling I had as a small child, and my own heart feels honest and clean. Mother cried, head bowed, at the parts about Enrico and Garrone. [auto-translated]”
Belle de Jour by Joseph Kessel: “The other day I was reading Kessel's 'Belle de Jour' when Mother quietly took the book from me and glanced at the cover. She looked very gloomy but said nothing and handed it straight back, and I no longer felt like reading on. [auto-translated]”