Alan Morris Phd thesis

357 Pages·2012·11.72 MB·English

THE GERMAN OCCUPATION IN RECENT FRENCH
FICTION: AN ANALYSIS OF THE LITERARY “MODE
RÉTRO”
ALAN I. MORRIS

A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD
at the
University of St Andrews

1985
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The German Occupation in Recent French Fiction:
An Analysis of the Literary 'mode retro'
by
Alan I. Morris
A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the
University of Saint Andrews
March 1985
DECLARATION
I Alan Ivan Morris hereby certify that this thesis which is approximately
115,000 words in length has been written by me, that it is the record of
work carried out by me and that it has not been submitted in any previous
application for a higher degree.
.
date .v;t~ .. t:\.o:J:~~ ~~.lS.~ signature of candidate
I was admitted as a research student under Ordinance No. 12 in October
1979 and as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy on
24 April 1980; the higher study for which this is a record was carried
out in the University of St. Andrews between 1979 and 1982.
-,
date signature of candidate
CERTIF lCA TION
I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the
Resolution and Regulations appropriate to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
of the University of St. Andrews and that he is qualified to submit this
thesis in application for that degree.
- - ~- --~-----~- -
date signature of supervisor ---- - ~- - -- 7_ _ _
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COPYRIGHT
In submitting this thesis to the University of St. Andrews I understand
that I am giving permission for it to be made available for use in
accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time
being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being
affected thereby. I also understand that the title and abstract will be
published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any
bona fide library or research worker.
For my parents
'La mode "retro" appliquee a la
collaboration nationale meriterait
deja une etude specifique.'
- Pascal Dry
'il s'agit des annees noires qui
demeurent, pour les qui les
Fran~ais
ont vecues, une periode chargee de
passions toujours vivaces et dont les
plus jeunes n'ont, habituellement,
qu'une image deformee.'
- Jean-Pierre Azema
'La guerre n'etait pas toujours sur
les champs de bataille. La facture
etait alourdie par les lnfirmes, la
jeunesse deboussolee et surtout la
France divisee.'
- Jose Giovanni
ABSTRACT
This thesis attempts to analyse and characterise the mode retro, the
remarkable renewal of interest in the German Occupation of France, which
is coloured by an extensive re-evaluation of the period's significance.
An introduction places this fashion in its literary, social and historical
context, revealing how, from 1940 to 1969, a collective and predominantly
Gaullist 'myth' of the Resistance became established, with the result
that the national response to invasion was accepted to be one of wide
spread heroism and revolt. Part I studies the reaction to such
resistancialisme, showing how this orthodox interpretation of events was
undermined and, for many, discredited, and offering explanations of the
timing and direction of the new view. Part II focuses on the fiction,
memoirs, autobiographies and biographies of the younger authors, those
who have no direct adult experience of the annees noires. It is suggested
thaL their obvious obsession with 3bsent parent-figures reflects their
awareness that the past has been misreoresented and their heritage
rendered problematic. Their sole means of escape from this predicament,
their only source of emotional relief is seen to lie in the creation of a
personal account of the early 1940s running contrary to the prevalent
orthodoxy, the fabrication of a 'counter-myth'. It is thus the notion
of myth which links the various sections of the survey, and so gives the
thesis its overall unity.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
Preface i
Abbreviations vi
Introduction. The Heritage 1940-1969 1
Part I. 'La mode retro': New Myths for Old 35
Chapter 1. The Mechanisms of Demythification 36
Chapter 2. Why a 'mode retro'? 84
Part II. The Young Writers - A Generation of Orphans 117
Chapter 1 • The Orphan as Writer 118
Chapter 2. The Writer as Orphan (i):
The Case of Patrick Modiano 177
Chapter 3. The Writer as Orphan (ii):
In the Wake of Patrick Modiano 225
Conclusion 272
Notes 279
Bibliography 313
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PREFACE