The Idea of You

Through her portrayal of Solène’s relationship with Hayes, Robinne Lee explores the intersections of womanhood and motherhood and introduces the key theme of The Complexities of Celebrity.

The novel begins with Solène’s trip to Las Vegas for the August Moon concert. On the way to Las Vegas, Solène observes her daughter Isabelle and her friends, wistfully noting their potential and lack of responsibility. These observations are presumably in contrast to Solène’s current circumstances as a middle-aged divorced mother without many novel experiences on the horizon. Solène’s relationship with Isabelle will endure ups and downs as the pair navigates Isabelle’s transition to adulthood and Solène’s steadfast commitment to maintaining her independence. Lee foreshadows Solène’s internal conflict between her independent identity and her identity as a mother at the end of the section when Isabelle first menstruates—signifying her first steps into womanhood—while Solène is busy with Hayes. Solène hesitantly embraces new experiences with Hayes but misses out on an essential moment in her daughter’s growth.

Further developing Solène’s disconnect between her self-identity and her mother-identity, Solène confesses that she feels different from other caregivers she meets. At the meet-and-greet, she notes how she “was overdressed in Alaïa sandals and out of place” as she “was pulled together and polished and that once again, for better or worse, [she] stuck out” (5). Solène attributes this inability to fit in with the other mothers to her French heritage. It is this difference that catches the eye of Hayes and initiates their passionate relationship. When the concert begins, Solène feels drawn to the music and comments on the influence of “the rush, the hormones, the heat from the stage,” which makes her consider letting herself go and indulging “in the madness” (9). However, Solène stops herself after realizing “how indelicate that would seem, how unbecoming” (9). In this way, Lee uses music as a way to express Solène’s strong emotions and her ideas of appropriateness: Hayes’s music is a symbol of Hayes himself. She holds herself back from the powerful emotions evoked at the concert and also in her newfound relationship with Hayes. As Hayes and Solène make plans to see each other, Solène attempts to maintain control of her emotions and convince herself that their connection is only sexual—and therefore functional and controllable.

Despite Solène’s attempts to control herself and conform, she expresses a deep desire to live an independent life separate from the societal expectations of motherhood and womanhood. In exploring Solène’s entitlement to be a fulfilled individual rather than only meeting her social roles, Lee challenges Society’s Disregard for Aging Women. On their first trip in New York, Solène proclaims to Hayes that “I don’t want to be put in a box. I want to do things that feed me. I want to surround myself with art and fascinating people and stimulating experiences […] and beauty. I want to surprise myself” (50). The box she refers to represents the limitations placed on women by society. While society expects middle-aged women to conform to a definition of womanhood devoid of desire and freedom, Solène wishes for an unpredictable and intriguing life. In pursuit of this life, Solène gradually allows herself to explore a relationship with Hayes. Their first sexual experience in New York awakens Solène to the power of sex to help her embrace her latent desires and the part of herself that she hides in order to confirm. As she reaches orgasm, she reflects on the fact “that I had denied myself that for so long” (60). Hayes refers to Solène as an unfolding flower, a symbol of her vulnerability. As the novel progresses, Solène unfolds slowly and reveals more of her true self as she grows closer to Hayes. Despite her anxieties over their large age difference, Solène pursues a relationship with Hayes and develops a deeper understanding of herself. In this way Lee demonstrates that women—and not just young women—are entitled to pleasure and that it is a route to female happiness, self-expression and self-knowledge. Lee also reclaims sexual pleasure as something that belongs to older women as well as the young, which is for their own benefit, not for the purposes of female objectification.

While Solène attempts to convince herself that her relationship with Hayes is merely sexual, she grapples with her growing love for him. Besides a natural physical chemistry, Solène and Hayes discuss deep emotional issues regarding their upbringings, deepest fears, and aspirations. While Hayes expresses a steadfast commitment to their new relationship, Solène struggles to reconcile her growing feelings for Hayes with the realities of their age difference and Hayes’s massive celebrity status. It is essential to the reader’s understanding of the characters and relationship—including the potential power dynamics of the age gap—that Hayes is fervently committed to their romance and a more than willing partner. This internal conflict follows Solène throughout the novel as she attempts to balance her love for Hayes with the impact her relationship has on her life as a mother and as a businesswoman. By the end of this section, Solène continues to struggle with the undefined status of their relationship and her insecurities regarding Hayes’s sexual past. At this point, Lee is increasingly revealing Solène’s sense of a conflict around Reality Versus Fantasy, where the demands of her normal life seem incompatible with her relationship with Hayes.

At the concert, Solène witnesses the massive influence held by Hayes and the other August Moon band members over their fans. She also observes firsthand the invasive nature of Hayes’s fandom, which strips him of the ability to live a private life. On their first night together, Hayes alludes to the dangers of celebrity several times. When Solène experiences a “postorgasmic freak-out,” it is as if Hayes’s anxiety has been transferred to her. This prefigures the later story, where Solène’s own privacy will be violated, as a result of her association with Hayes. Solène remarks on the anxiety Hayes and the other band members feel as celebrities over “not knowing whom to trust, and worried that at any time something could be used against them” (62). To begin a relationship with Hayes, Solène quickly learns that “so long as he was in August Moon, Hayes was someone I would share with the world” (83). Through Solène and Hayes’s relationship, Lee chronicles the Complexities of Celebrity. She exposes the dangers posed to celebrities in the hands of their notoriety and the impact their fame can have on their relationships.