Writing Postcolonial Childhood



This course examines the genre of autobiography based on the classical works of Patrick Chamoiseau (Antan d’enfance), Dany Laferrière (L’odeur du café) and Camara Laye (L’enfant noir). The special forms of autobiography in twentieth century francophone literature of Africa and West Indies will be analyzed including identity questions, narrative forms and authors’ ideologies.



Required texts:

- Patrick CHAMOISEAU, Une enfance créole I. Antan d’enfance, Gallimard, Folio, 1996, ISBN-13: 978-2070400010

- Dany LAFERRIERE, L’odeur du café, Zulma, 2016, ISBN-13: 978-2843047756

- Camara LAYE, L’enfant noir, Pocket, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-2266178945