Mademoiselle LePattre
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#1: Mademoiselle LePattre Author: Rachael,  PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 12:33 pm

However you spell it Rolling Eyes And is it Elise or Therese?! Rolling Eyes Laughing Please comment on Madge's successor here ... How does she compare to Madge? Has she got what it takes to be a good headmistress? Is she conveniently side-lined to make way for Hilda?

 

#2:  Author: jennifer, Location: Sunny California PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 7:21 pm

By herself she doesn't make much of an impression - I think she was put in for support for Madge (it would be a bit much for her to start the school all by herself), but wasn't a distinctive enough character to lead on her own, hence making way for Annersley and Wilson - much stronger characters. One thing that puzzles me - when Lepattre falls ill, we suddenly find out that she's been a mother figure to Cornelia. Where did that one come from? I've read unabridged versions of most of the preceding books, and I don't think it was ever mentioned, even when Corney was getting into trouble. I think she does manage the most variations on her name - Therese/Elise Le Pattre/Lepattre/Lapattre, with varying accents put in - maybe a sign that EBD wasn't too taken with her?

 

#3:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 7:39 pm

*echoes all the above* Elise/Therese has always struck me as more of a concept than a character. We are told that she is an excellent headmistress and the girls love her, but until she falls ill, we don't see any evidence for it. Even her treatment of Thekla in Lintons/Rebel always seems somewhat mechanical to me - as a Headmistress she is saying the right things but there doesn't seem to be much feeling behind the words. In comparison, Miss Annersley appears far more human in her treatment of Betty Wynne-Davies when she is expelled - different girls in different situations, I know, but I think it highlights the fact that Hilda is the more well-drawn character of the two.

 

#4:  Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 8:15 pm

She was never really shown as a headmistress, she is firstly ignored in favour of Madge then is made ill never to return. EBD only used her as a token French character to include the languages and to bring in Simone.

 

#5:  Author: Nicci, Location: UK PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:05 pm

I too never heard of her being a mother-figure to Corney until she died. I never used to think much of her, mainly I feel because she didn't seem particularly significant. However, I can't remember which book I was reading the other day, but for the first time she really stood out as a main character, rather than just a nobody.

 

#6:  Author: Emily, Location: Land of White Coats and Stethoscopes. PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:14 pm

There's also the fact that she is always perfectly willing to give way to Madge when she happens to be visiting the school- eg. in Rivals (cos I've just finished it Very Happy ) she has to stay because there's an epidemic, and she reverts to 'Head' to the point of being referred as the Head, and punishing Joey et al for the powdering incident. It's as though Mademoiselle is just a stand-in for when Madge absolutely can't be there. I, also, was always confused by the Corney thing.

 

#7:  Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Sheffield (termtime), ? any other time! PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 7:46 pm

I wonder if she almost wasn't meant to be Head Mistress but when Madge was married off and the series carried on, no one else was suitable at the time. I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that originally the series was meant to end after the first few books (might be wrong here!) so maybe she was never seriously intended as the main Head so there was no point in developing her to the exclusion of Madge, after Princess, and by the time it was set for the series to carry on further, she just wasn't a strong enough character to be viable as a strong, memorable Headmistress. I never caught onto the fact that Corney was so close to her either, but then again we rarely see a sentimental side to Corney in the books- her and her group of friends when they're younger are usually only introduced in order to introduce a trick or some chaos! Also the fact that the other teachers never knew about it (isn't there a comment to that effect when Corney faints after the announcement of Madmoiselle's death?) suggests that it was a very private thing. IT makes sense in a way as Madmoiselle was Head for, if not most, then at least the first few years Corney was at school and the school wasn't that big then so maybe her kindness would have had an effect beyond what the reader 'sees.'

 

#8:  Author: Verity, Location: Australia PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:49 am

I thought I remembered reading something about Mademoiselle "touching" Corney's heart in the early books but I can't find where it is. Around about 4 or 5 I think. Anyway, when I read about the fainting I wasn't surprised, so I must have read it somewhere! (And Corney was never at CS when Madge was head - she came once Mademoiselle had the job)

 

#9:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:32 am

I can sort of accept that there might have been a private closeness between Mddle and Corney. Afterall to Corney, Mddle was the only head she had known, and I do think there was a caring side to her. However, I do agree that Mddle seems to act just as a *filler* bridging the gap between Madge and her ultimate successor because Madge had married so early and, Mddle could not have been overlooked for the position because she was a partner in the whole venture. One thing that always interests me is that Mdel was head at a time that is always refered to later on, ie when Joey was Head Girl but she is never really mentioned.

 

#10: Mademoiselle as Head Author: Bunty,  PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 1:55 pm

In 'Rivals' we see Mademoiselle acting quite authoritatively over the rudeness shown by Miss Browne and the Saints (in the path-pushing incident for example), and I think it's in that book that EBD says she has a presence and a quiet dignity which command respect from the girls but then in Eustacia she collapses when they realise Eustacia has tried to escape to Germany over the Tiern Pass, and has to be given a sleeping draught by Matron (rather sinisterly) - not something we can imagine happening to Madge. In 'Eustacia', too, there's that rather touching scene when Eustacia's been sent to Coventry and Mademoiselle watches her asleep (as she thinks) before moving on - which shows a maternal side in keeping with what we're told in 'Exile' about her relationship with Cornelia.

 

#11:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 3:28 pm

I got the impression in the first book that Mddle was brought in partly to pacify Dick that Madge would not be alone and also because she was unhappy where she was as a governess. All she wanted was an education for Simone and Renée so she probably didn't break the bank! I agree that she was probably never intended to become HM for any length of time and it seems reasonable that EBD planned to Madge's marriage and not beyond. I do think the way EBD killed her off was a bit odd. First she's going to be fine, then she's not but will live a long life as an invalid, then the poor soul pops her clogs, very much off stage.

 

#12:  Author: Mihiri, Location: surrey england PostPosted: Wed Dec 15, 2004 6:15 pm

She never really struck me as much of a character. I was never particularly interested in reading anything more about her. And though several teachers are mentioned as being favourites with the girls etc. she never seems to be one. I think her death was plausible even though they had said she would live a long life as an invalid as I think the stres of the war could have quite feasibly been too much. I think the first sign of the closeness between her and Corney is in Jo Returns. THere are two incidents, one when they are up on the roof, and the other when Jo goes into her dormitory to find out where thye are up to in history. I don't recall the closeness ever being mentioned whilst Mademoiselle is still at the school.

 

#13: Re: Mademoiselle as Head Author: Emma A, Location: The Soke of Peterborough PostPosted: Fri Dec 17, 2004 7:06 pm

Bunty wrote:
...Mademoiselle...has a presence and a quiet dignity which command respect from the girls but then in Eustacia she collapses when they realise Eustacia has tried to escape to Germany over the Tiern Pass, and has to be given a sleeping draught by Matron (rather sinisterly) - not something we can imagine happening to Madge...
Presumably this is paving the way for Mlle Lepattre's later illness and collapse (sounds like she had a dicky heart) - presumably she was also older than Madge. Agree with comments that she isn't a very convincing Headmistress - certainly not in the Miss Annersley vein.

 

#14:  Author: Miriam, Location: Jerusalem, Israel PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2004 10:37 pm

I think that if one was looking for a mother figure at the CS in this stage of it's history, Mademioselle is a much more likely figure than Madge o fulfill that role. Cornelia, by the end of her first term has come to the conclusion that she needs to reform her character in a rather drastic manner. Mademioselle is not only head mistress, but appears to remain a very approachable hgead, and maybe rather quieter than MAdge. Purely by virtue of age, I don't think Madge would be seen as a mother figure at this stage (except by Jo, who has known her in this role since she was very young). Madge is only in her late twenties, and often joins in with the girls in their activites. She could very well be seen as a friend and a guide, but she doesn't yet have the quieter, more motherly sideto her fully developed. To someone seeking a mother figure, Mademoiselle seems a much more logical attachment.

 

#15:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:57 am

there's an interesting passage in Mary-Lou (the HB) where Matey describes Mlle Lepattre to Betsy and Co as being an unsng saint or something along those lines. I thought that was pushing it a trifle myself! Shocked

 

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