The Twentieth-Century Novel

The early years of the 21st-century offer us a new perspective on the major French literary events of the 20th, enabling us to see which works remain in sharp focus over time. In this course we will examine the aesthetic response of French prose writers to the main currents and key moments of French social and political history since World War II, offering both a sociological interpretation and close literary readings. Works studied may include Les Belles Images (Beauvoir), Les Choses (Pérec), Les Petits Enfants du siècle (Rochefort), La Modification (Butor), La Place de l’Etoile (Modiano), and Acide sulfurique (Nothomb). (FREN 0221 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc.