Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2024

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Major

LACS: Francophone Studies

First Advisor

Prof. Doyle Calhoun

Comments

From a French perspective, literature concerning slavery and Black experiences lacks sufficient authorship and resources to effectively depict the horrors and violence of slavery and colonization. It was rare that any victims of the slave trade or oppression had the privilege or the means to tell their story, and the French Republic struggled to properly address their role in systemic violence as part of their national identity, only officially condemning it as a crime against humanity at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Additionally, there exists limited media that even represents the contemporary Black experiences in France and other Francophone nations, which both results from and legitimizes racialized prejudices and anti-Black violence. Throughout history, and most prominently today, authors and creators have attempted to give voices to these stories and rewrite narratives through fiction, a necessary measure being used to expose the true extent of repeated systemic violence by the French towards marginalized populations both domestically and in their previously colonized nations. The incorporation of fiction in narratives, especially with such high stakes, poses a risk in that it could improperly assert ideas pertaining to race, violence, or emotions, but also presents significant potential benefits by presenting stories that advocate for populations that have otherwise been silenced. By examining two novels that fictionalize the experiences of Black and enslaved subjects in the French empire—namely, Ourika by Claire de Duras (1823) and David Diop’s La Porte du voyage sans retour (2021)— this thesis highlights how representations of slavery and Black experiences have been both skewed and well-developed in literary works over time. Although published almost 200 years apart, both works highlight deep-rooted racism and oppression through unique perspectives, however, sometimes the benefits of fictional expository writing can be undermined by misinterpretation or appropriation. This thesis will provide an understanding of how fiction can be perceived as an important vessel for ameliorating our comprehension of crucial subjects. By examining key strengths and weaknesses of fictional writing, this thesis will demonstrate how fabricated narratives can enrich global understandings of identities and experiences that are different from our own.

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