Summary:
Liliane Bettencourt, 88, lost control of her fortune of 16 billion euros. A French court gave control of the money to her daughter Meyer Bettencourt. The court gave the ruling after it declared Mrs. Bettencourt to be mentally unfit to keep control of her money. Along with Meyer Bettencourt, her sons will also be controlling the money and taking care of their grandmother. Mrs. Liliane Bettencourt said that she cannot live in the care of her daughter and that she will flee if she has to stay with her daughter.
This lawsuit was filed by her daughter who claims that her mother had been giving away money. She claims that her mother gave a photographer gifts worth 1 bn euros and also gave money illegally to president Nicolas Sarkozy's election campaign. If this claim is true it will change the way France is run and the country would me in turmoil. Bettencourt had been estranged from her daughter 4 years ago, but they said that the relationship had been repaired earlier this year.
Response:
I found this article very interesting because it can in various ways, relate to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Liliane Bettencourt was declared 'mentally unfit', which was also the case for all of the people in the hospital in the book. McMurphy, like Bettencourt, had no choice but to stay under care, both of them do not want it, and believe that they are not insane. Another thing I find really fascinating is how a court is allowed to do that. If a woman wants to spend her money she should be allowed to do so in any way she wants. There is nothing illegal in giving gifts to another person. How can a court decide if a woman is insane or not? There are no physical signs and they cannot tell what she is thinking.
Vocabulary:
Heiress -a female heir, esp. to vast wealth; root- heir
Estranged- no longer close or affectionate to someone; root (latin) - extraneare
Flee- run away from a place or situation ; root (dutch)- vlieden
