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Translating Nouzha Fassi Fihri's La Baroudeuse: A Case Study in ...

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elides differences of class, gender, race, and orig<strong>in</strong>, and <strong>in</strong>directly demands equal<br />

consideration and respect for all.<br />

The author also challenges b<strong>in</strong>ary concepts such as <strong>in</strong>dividual versus<br />

collective and <strong>in</strong>ternal versus external us<strong>in</strong>g stream-of-consciousness and<br />

<strong>in</strong>determ<strong>in</strong>acy of speakers <strong>in</strong> dialogue. In certa<strong>in</strong> passages, the reader cannot<br />

determ<strong>in</strong>e who is speak<strong>in</strong>g, and boundaries between thought and speech blur.<br />

When Moulay Ali, Kenza and Sharif sit down for breakfast on the morn<strong>in</strong>g of<br />

Moulay Ali's arrival, Sharif <strong>in</strong>itiates a dialogue <strong>in</strong> which the reader subsequently<br />

cannot know who is say<strong>in</strong>g what (17-19). In the follow<strong>in</strong>g passage, Kenza's<br />

thoughts reported <strong>in</strong> free <strong>in</strong>direct style flow <strong>in</strong>to <strong>in</strong>ternal monologue and speech<br />

reported directly but without quotation marks.<br />

Elle se rappelait comment on avait pris dans le tas un nombre<br />

impressionnant de citoyens qu'on avait exécutés froidement, pour<br />

l'exemple, ce qui avait refroidi les ardeurs. En serait-il de même<br />

aujourd'hui? L'ennemi opérerait-il encore une fois dans l'impunité? Toute<br />

cette fougue, cette assurance, cette foi dans la légitimité des<br />

revendications, capituleraient-elles devant la force déployée par<br />

l'adversaire? Elle pria de tous son coeur pour que ses concitoyens sachent<br />

résister. Hélas, se dit-elle encore, des batteries sont braquées sur notre cité<br />

depuis hier. Elles n'attendent que l'ordre du haut commandement pour<br />

envoyer sur la ville une pluie de feu et semer la mort et la destruction. Vat-on<br />

cra<strong>in</strong>dre pour les vestiges d'une civilisation séculaire? (. . . ) Non,<br />

jamais! (112).<br />

She remembered how an impressive number of citizens had been pulled<br />

from the crowd and coldly executed, as an example. That had cooled the<br />

protesters' passions. Would it be the same today? Would the enemy act<br />

with impunity aga<strong>in</strong>? All this determ<strong>in</strong>ation, this conviction, this belief <strong>in</strong><br />

the legitimacy of the demands, would it all surrender to the enemy's<br />

strength? She prayed with all her heart that her fellow citizens would be<br />

able to stand up aga<strong>in</strong>st it. Alas, she told herself, s<strong>in</strong>ce yesterday, guns are<br />

set to fire on our city, just wait<strong>in</strong>g for an order to ra<strong>in</strong> fire, death and<br />

destruction on us. Will we hesitate for fear of destroy<strong>in</strong>g the rema<strong>in</strong>s of an<br />

ancient civilization? (. . .) No, never!<br />

11

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