Atiq Rahimi: la trace comme repère identitaire
Atiq Rahimi: The Trace as a Marker of Identity

Summary/Abstract: The trace is a foundational element in the writing of La Ballade du calame. Atiq Rahimi incorporates it into his reflection on the question of origins and the relationship to the homeland. Synonymous with the past, the themes of the trace and the absence recur subtly throughout the narrative as markers of a sought personal identity, as a mirror of a self deeply aware of its traumatized state. Overwhelmed by the pain of separation, the writer undertakes writing as a means of resistance against the despair of emptiness. The search for origins brings him face to face with himself, with his memories, provoking feelings of uprootedness and solitude. The idea of the trace as an identity marker is powerfully illustrated in the narrative through the interplay of memory and forgetfulness, of presence and absence, through the recurring use of words (trace, to trace, tracks, imprints). From this perspective, the trace is a revealing sign of personal identity. It takes on several dimensions – real, imaginary, and symbolic, translating the emblematic relationship between the subject and their motherland.

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