Of words and the world : referential anxiety in contemporary French fiction

Here David Ellison explores the problems encountered by France's best experimental authors writing between 1956 and 1984, when faced with the question: "What should my writing be __about__?" These years are characterized by the rise of the "new novelists," who questioned the representational function of writing as they created works of imagination that turned in upon themselves and away from exterior reality. It became fashionable at one point to affirm that literature was no longer about the world but uniquely about the words on a page, the signifying surface of the text. Ellison tests this assumption, showing that even in the most seemingly self-referential fictions the words point to the world from which they can never completely separate themselves. Through close readings Ellison examines the novels and theoretical writings of authors whose works are fundamental to our perception of contemporary French writing and thought: Camus, Robbe-Grillet, Simon, Duras, Sarraute, Blanchot, and Beckett. The result is a new understanding of the link between the referential function of literary language and the problematic of the ethics of fiction. Here David Ellison Explores The Problems Encountered By France's Best Experimental Authors Writing Between 1956 And 1984 When Faced With The Question: What Should My Writing Be About? These Years Are Characterized By The Rise Of The New Novelists, Who Questioned The Representational Function Of Writing As They Created Works Of Imagination That Turned In Upon Themselves And Away From Exterior Reality. It Became Fashionable At One Point To Affirm That Literature Was No Longer About The World But Uniquely About The Words On A Page, The Signifying Surface Of The Text. Ellison Tests This Assumption, Showing That Even In The Most Seemingly Self-referential Fictions The Words Point To The World From Which They Can Never Completely Separate Themselves. Through Close Readings Ellison Examines The Novels And Theoretical Writings Of Authors Whose Works Are Fundamental To Our Perception Of Contemporary French Writing And Thought: Camus, Robbe-grillet, Simon, Duras, Sarraute, Blanchot, And Beckett. The Result Is A New Understanding Of The Link Between The Referential Function Of Literary Language And The Problematic Of The Ethics Of Fiction.--book Jacket. Pt. 1. Metamorphoses Of The Referential Function, 1956-1984 -- Ch. 1. Vertiginous Storytelling: Camus's La Chute, 1956 -- Ch. 2. Reappearing Man In Robbe-grillet's Topologie D'une Cite Fantome, 1976 -- Ch. 3. Narrative Leveling And Performative Pathos In Claude Simon's Les Georgiques, 1981 -- Ch. 4. The Self As Referent: Postmodern Autobiographies, 1983-1984 (robbe-grillet, Duras, Sarraute) -- Pt. 2. Pure Fiction And The Inevitability Of Reference -- Ch. 5. Blanchot And Narrative -- Ch. 6. Beckett And The Ethics Of Fabulation. David R. Ellison. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [183]-192) And Index. This critical study examines the novels and theoretical writings of authors whose works are fundamental to a perception of contemporary French literature. It specifically charts the rise of novelists who created works of imagination that turned away from exterior reality. 000_FrontMatter......Page 1 001_Chapter1......Page 15 002_Chapter2......Page 58 003_Chapter3......Page 69 004_Chapter4......Page 83 005_Chapter5......Page 111 006_Chapter6......Page 146 007_BackMatter......Page 173