The second-person narration in the writing of malaise. The comparative analysis of A Man Asleep and L’Inconsolable (Part One) Cover Image

Le récit à la deuxième personne dans l’écriture du malaise. Analyse comparative d’Un homme qui dort de Georges Perec et de L’Inconsolable d’Anne Godard (Ire partie)
The second-person narration in the writing of malaise. The comparative analysis of A Man Asleep and L’Inconsolable (Part One)

Author(s): Martyna Zapolnik
Subject(s): Comparative Study of Literature, French Literature, Theory of Literature, Sociology of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: second‐person narration; Georges Perec; Anne Godard; malaise; suspension;

Summary/Abstract: The history of mankind is the history of malaise. Melancholy, discomfort, anxiety or grief are just a few names and examples of this phenomenon. The heroes created by Georges Perec and Anne Godard experience the deep malaise of depression and grief disorder. However, this is not the only common feature of the characters – they are both described by the pronoun “you”. Due to its properties, the second-person narration seems to be an effective tool of description of minor and major mental disorders. It helps to situate the heroes between life and death, and it is naturally associated with the concept of the Other, who plays a significant role in creation of a suffering human being.

  • Issue Year: 2020
  • Issue No: 21
  • Page Range: 9-25
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: French
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