Episode 19|2: The Stranger

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

The Stranger has a rather simple plot and reads almost like a last testament in first person prose. In a little over hundred pages, we follow Meursault, a pied-noir in Algeria through the loss of his mother, his adventures in love and friendship, and a strange criminal trial in which  he finds himself implicated. Known more for its commentary on society and as a prime example of absurdist fiction, Camus’ The Stranger has been integrated into the reading curriculum throughout the world and remains a novel that many hate to love.  

Country

Algeria

Overarching Themes

1. Albert Camus and The Stranger
2. Indifference to Religion
3. Meaninglessness

How does this book question the idea of the Francophonie? (Does it go against the grain? Does it stay stereotypical?) 

Somewhat. In its own way, this book critiques the French identity of the 1950s. Camus presents a character who does not believe in God, who is not Catholic, who cares little for philosophy and literature, and does not seem to care about the tenants of Frenchness. It can also be read as an attack on capital punishment and the use of the guillotine which  was the state sanctioned method for capital punishment in France well into the late 20th century. Its use in Algeria notably during the uprising and eventual war for independence was widespread.

Episode 18|2: Le Deuxième Sexe

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Aperçu du livre

[Avant de commencer, nous voulons faire un petit mot sur les sujets abordés dans ce texte. Elle expliques l’histoire et la realite vecue par les femmes qui incluent les sujets difficles a entendre notamment sur le viol et la violence physique et emotionnelle. Elle est directe avec son ton mais les sujets sont présents tout au long du livre.]

Simone de Beauvoir discuter les points de vue pris sur la femme par plusieurs disciplines academiques. Son chef-d’œuvre est une chronique de l’histoire des femme et connu comme le plus grand livre de la philosophoie feministe. C’est un essai, manuel, et thèse qui influence considérablement les générations de femmes qui lui ont succédé. Elle explore comment l’inégalité entre les hommes et les femmes est historiquement et idéologiquement construite. Le deuxieme sexe etait revolutionaire en 1949 et reste l’actualite aujourd’hui. 

Pays

France (+ le monde)

Les thèmes déterminants

1.  Simone de Beauvoir | la femme 
2.  Les faits et les mythes
3. L’expérience vécue 

Comment ce livre raviver, approfondir, ou contester ton idée de la francophonie?

Le Deuxieme Sexe est un chronique feminin. Simone de Beauvoir montre des exemples qui viennent de partout dans le monde. Elle présente des sujets tabous qui restent sensibles. Elle a levé le voile de la réalité honteuse et difficile que les femmes ont vécu. Elle a contesté les idées de la francophonie. Elle a approfondi l’expérience vécue. Son travail est devenu canonique et elle est également importante dans ses luttes pour l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes.

P.S.

La Femme indépendante propose un selection des chapitres du Deuxième Sexe par Simone de Beauvoir. C’est un introduction de ses idées dans une version plus petite (environ 100 pages au lieu de 1000). 

Episode 17|2: The Second Sex

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

[Before we start the description, we want to put a trigger warning on this book and podcast. She discusses many aspects of being a woman which includes violence, sexual harassment and assault, rape, and other topics that can be difficult to read about. She writes about them in a very straightforward matter of fact way but be mindful if these are topics that upset you].

Originally published in 1949 as a novel, this book reads more like a textbook of the history of female oppression, taking on topics ranging from Christian depictions of women, the right to vote, menstruation and maternity. De Beauvoir begins by saying famously, one is not born a woman, one becomes a woman. Straight away, she attacks the myths perpetuated about women and gender as essential to a person’s being. The book is shockingly ahead of its time and it can’t be overstated how important it was in inspiring the second wave of feminism. One that moves beyond legal equality and into philosophical and societal differences in the way women are treated. 

Country

France (+ the world in general)

Overarching Themes

1. Simone de Beauvoir | the woman
2. Facts and Myths
3. Lived Experience

How does this book question the idea of the Francophonie? (Does it go against the grain? Does it stay stereotypical?) 

It’s a chronicle of feminine history. She brings in examples from across time and throughout the world. In a way, the book itself discusses topics which were at the time and arguably still today taboo. She pushes the envelope of what is the lived reality of women and pulls back the curtain. In this way, she’s expanding the public knowledge and discussion. In terms of the Francophonie, this has become one of the most well known pieces of modern  literature or academia from France.

Not ready for the whole ting but curious to learn more? Check out “The Independent Woman” which is a selection of several chapters from The Second Sex and presents some of the most important themes. It’s around 100 pages instead of the 900-1000 pages of the entire volume!

Episode 16|2: Existentialism/L’existentialisme

Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair – Les Bookworms

We're back on the Proust train. This episode covers the first chapter of Volume 3 – The Guermantes Way (Le Côté de Guermantes). We focus on the Dreyfus Affair and its role in French society at the time of Proust and today.

1. Searching for Justice: Proust and the Dreyfus Affair 40:50
2. Through the Pages of Time 55:01
3. In Search of Lost Podcasts: Les Bookworms Revival 28:08
4. 2 Down 5 to Go: Reflections on Volume II of Proust 30:07
5. A mix of gumption and courage: Paris memoirs 26:56

Overview

This episode is all about breaking down existentialism as a philosophy. In this French/English episode, we cover the basic tenants of existentialism through discussing the philosophers responsible for its creation and propagation. Then, we discuss the time period and external influences as well as the most famous works (for the French existentialists). We hope by the end of the episode, you have a better grasp on what existentialism means and how it applies to our next few episodes!

Country

France (and beyond)

Overarching Themes

1. Who/Qui
2. When/Quand
3. What/Quoi

The French existentialist movement which is the most relevant to our next few podcasts famously includes Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, and Simone de Beauvoir. However, Camus argued he wasn’t a philosopher and his close friendship with Sartre became more of a frenemy situation because of their differences brought to light by the publication of the Rebel. Similarly, Simone de Beauvoir used existential thinking in most of her works yet deferred to Sartre on truly being a philosopher. 

Enfin, l’existentialisme français, qui est plus pertinent pour nos prochains podcasts, inclut Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus et Simone de Beauvoir. Cependant, de son vivant, les philosophes dominants à l’époque ont rejeté Camus comme philosophe. Son amitié avec Sartre s’est détériorée suite à un conflit public relatif au roman de Camus “l’homme révolté”. Dans une manière similaire, Simone de Beauvoir ne considère pas qu’elle était philosophe. Elle a cédé cette place a Sartre. Malgré tout, Camus, de Beauvoir, et Sartre occupent des places importantes dans l’histoire d’existentialisme et la philosophie aujourd’hui.