La mère : des représentations autres
The Mother: Other Representations

Summary/Abstract: This study marks the beginning of an ample research into the mother figure in French literature during the past hundred years, mainly addressing autobiographical and autofictional works published since the second half of the twentieth century. Steering clear of the stereotypical idealised motherly figure, we focus on unconventional portraits: cold, absent, abusive, unstable, suicidal, tyrannical, unworthy, imperfect. The idea of motherhood as the iconic image of unconditional love has not changed; however, perspectives have multiplied. It is here that our focal point lies: inventorying (without any intention to exhaust) a series of books revolving around the maternal figure represented with the frankness and the lack of taboo that characterise contemporaneity, far from stereotype or conformism, all along intentionally avoiding Hervé Bazin’s Folcoche, primarily the typed hateful mother.

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