The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Characters

Sylvie is the mother of Bauby’s children. An emotional woman whose real-life relationship with Bauby seems to have turned cold before his stroke, Sylvie nonetheless cares deeply for Bauby and brings their two children, Céleste and Théophile, to visit.

Théophile is Bauby’s son. He is a somewhat shy, reserved boy.

Céleste is Bauby’s daughter. She is an energetic, ebullient girl who loves to entertain.

Sandrine is Bauby’s speech therapist at Berck-sur-Mer. He sees her as a “guardian angel” because she created the communication code that allows him to participate in the world. He feels that Sandrine opened up his “diving bell,” even if just a little.

Claude is an interlocutor and interpreter who helps Bauby compose his memoirs using the alphabetic communication code devised by Sandrine.

Florence is Bauby’s current partner.

Olivier is a school friend of Bauby’s who used to make up wild, improbable stories and insist on their truth, even when confronted with his own obvious lies and inconsistencies.

Joséphine is an old girlfriend of Bauby’s who once brought him along with her to make a pilgrimage to pray to the Madonna at Sanctuaires Notre-Dame de Lourdes, even though they were on the verge of breaking up.

Diane is Sylvie’s sister. She is a nurse and the first person who realized Bauby might be having a stroke on the fateful December day his life changed forever.

Brigitte is Bauby’s physical therapist at Berck-sur-Mer.

Brice is one of Bauby’s old friends.