Parallel Structures and Binary Oppositions in André Gide's L ...

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Table of Contents Title .................................................................................................................................................i Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................iii Table of Contents ..........................................................................................................................iv Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1 – Narrative Structure...................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2 – Geo/topographical Motifs ........................................................................................ 14 Chapter 3 – Interpersonal Relationships ...................................................................................... 28 Chapter 4 – Nature as a Motif ...................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 5 – Religion as a Motif.................................................................................................... 54 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 67 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 71 Resume ........................................................................................................................................ 74 iv
Introduction Moral and religious ambiguities, including the malleable quality of good and evil, are at the core of the majority of André Gide’s narratives, the protagonists of which often endure an irresolvable crisis of self. The gidien hero often finds him or herself trapped between the need to be understood by society and the need to understand one’s self, between constraint and freedom, leading to a fissure between the individual and society. The dualities which define this internal conflict, good versus evil, familiar versus exotic, and liberation versus restraint, have aroused a great deal of critical interest as evidenced in Hilary Hutchinson’s article “Lamiel et l’immoralisme gidien,” Jean Hytier’s “André Gide et l’esthétique de la personnalité,” Gaetan Picon’s “Remarks on Gide’s Ethics,” and Jean-Michel Wittman’s “L’Immoraliste ou l’écriture diabolique du récit gidien.” This criticism reveals the importance of the connection between Gide’s work and this struggle with morality and lays the framework for the exploration of the moral code through the comparison of Gide’s novels. The question of morality is one that Gide’s characters seek to resolve through self-discovery, and serves as the gateway through which they must pass if they are to reach their goal. In her article, “Le Thème de la découverte de soi dans la deuxième partie de Si le grain ne meurt et L’Immoraliste,” Maria Mann’s outlines the capacity of religious confusion to lead Michel into a period of self-discovery. Gide’s works are thus marked by this quest to define, or in some cases redefine, one’s own morality, through the comprehension of and the subjection to society’s version of immorality, and through the balance of good and evil. Despite the usual separation of this religious battle from Gide’s quest to understand morality, these two conflicts are in fact intrinsically linked for the author and for his characters. Many of Gide’s journals serve as an intimate conversation between the author and God as he 1
Page 1 and 2: Parallel Structures and Binary Oppo
Page 3: Acknowledgements I owe many thanks
Page 7 and 8: ypassed allowing this study to cont
Page 9 and 10: Chapter 1 Narrative Structure: Foun
Page 11 and 12: ans d’étude, une vie latente et
Page 13 and 14: perspective of the sole individual,
Page 15 and 16: time that he lost with Alissa. Mich
Page 17 and 18: of the content in the sense that it
Page 19 and 20: divided into two polar oppositions:
Page 21 and 22: Alissa voyages deeper into the hear
Page 23 and 24: and La Porte étroite, but more imp
Page 25 and 26: views travel and the rented room as
Page 27 and 28: illustrate the difference between t
Page 29 and 30: expression is the presence of Marce
Page 31 and 32: through his travels and is in turn
Page 33 and 34: neither is able to truly love their
Page 35 and 36: with friends that Alissa’s intere
Page 37 and 38: example of infidelity that frighten
Page 39 and 40: Unattainable love is an important c
Page 41 and 42: one thing: she carries her mother
Page 43 and 44: interpersonal relationships. “Dan
Page 45 and 46: and Alissa, evoking for one nourish
Page 47 and 48: savourions cette joie fière, de pr
Page 49 and 50: has a brief moment of happiness mar
Page 51 and 52: narrative introduction to the water
Page 53 and 54: Christmas party, Jérôme’s sadne
Page 55 and 56:
This acceptance and enjoyment of fo
Page 57 and 58:
Jérôme alternate between happines
Page 59 and 60:
views on their value and significan
Page 61 and 62:
actions and their feelings of frien
Page 63 and 64:
ejection of Jérôme, she rejects t
Page 65 and 66:
sentiments could be attributed to t
Page 67 and 68:
pleasure of his earthly life, and A
Page 69 and 70:
suffering due to his absence while
Page 71 and 72:
Conclusion When comparing L’Immor
Page 73 and 74:
and good but is rather revealed as
Page 75 and 76:
Bibliography Bettinson, Christopher
Page 77 and 78:
Steel, David. “Alissa - Anorexia?
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