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(Re)reading History

Summary/Abstract: The author of this text presents the life and work of Romain Gary (1914–1980), a French writer of Jewish origin born in Vilnius and raised in Warsaw. Gary was a war hero, pilot, diplomat, and the only writer to win the Prix Goncourt twice, once under his own name and again under the pseudonym Émile Ajar.One of his notable works, The Company of Men (Le Grand Vestiaire, 1948), delves into themes of antisemitism, the aftermath of World War II, and the influence of American postwar culture. The protagonist, Luc Martin, a 14-year-old orphan in postwar Paris, becomes entangled with Vanderputte, a fraudulent mentor leading a gang of young thieves. Luc’s journey reflects a search for meaning and morality amid the bleakness of his surroundings, where the glamour of American movies clashes with harsh realities.The novel reimagines literary archetypes, drawing parallels with characters from Oliver Twist and La Dame aux Camélias. At its core is a book of Pascal’s Pensees, left by Luc’s late father, which serves as a moral compass and a symbol of resilience.

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