Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris Diop

This paper examines the conditions of dissemination and reception of narratives in the novel Le Cavalier et son ombre, which plunges us into the destiny of a young woman, Khadidja, traumatised by an event comparable to the Rwandan genocide. In contrast to a racist interpretation that would make this...

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Main Author: Emeline Baudet
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Pléiade (EA 7338) 2023-07-01
Series:Itinéraires
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Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/itineraires/13361
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author Emeline Baudet
author_facet Emeline Baudet
author_sort Emeline Baudet
collection DOAJ
description This paper examines the conditions of dissemination and reception of narratives in the novel Le Cavalier et son ombre, which plunges us into the destiny of a young woman, Khadidja, traumatised by an event comparable to the Rwandan genocide. In contrast to a racist interpretation that would make this event the umpteenth occurrence of a series of collective traumas that are bound to recur in African history, I suggest a reading that highlights the mechanisms of subversion of discourses by leaders and, consequently, the attempts made by the characters to free themselves from them. In order to unravel this mystery and trace the source of this strange and invisible original trauma, the article begins by distinguishing the narrative strata and showing that their intertwining is already a traumatic fabrication. It then explores how the subversion of narrative frameworks unfolds at different levels and exacerbates the characters' traumas, which are buried in attitudes and behaviours that can be described as “madness”. Finally, the article shows that the origin of madness lies less in the genocide itself than in the subversion of discourses – in particular of the narrative scenography of storytelling.
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spelling doaj-art-9bb2b98fe74e421e9dfa0d9c54295a792025-08-20T03:47:44ZfraPléiade (EA 7338)Itinéraires2427-920X2023-07-012022310.4000/itineraires.13361Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris DiopEmeline BaudetThis paper examines the conditions of dissemination and reception of narratives in the novel Le Cavalier et son ombre, which plunges us into the destiny of a young woman, Khadidja, traumatised by an event comparable to the Rwandan genocide. In contrast to a racist interpretation that would make this event the umpteenth occurrence of a series of collective traumas that are bound to recur in African history, I suggest a reading that highlights the mechanisms of subversion of discourses by leaders and, consequently, the attempts made by the characters to free themselves from them. In order to unravel this mystery and trace the source of this strange and invisible original trauma, the article begins by distinguishing the narrative strata and showing that their intertwining is already a traumatic fabrication. It then explores how the subversion of narrative frameworks unfolds at different levels and exacerbates the characters' traumas, which are buried in attitudes and behaviours that can be described as “madness”. Finally, the article shows that the origin of madness lies less in the genocide itself than in the subversion of discourses – in particular of the narrative scenography of storytelling.https://journals.openedition.org/itineraires/13361traumafabulationrwandan genocideBoubacar Boris DiopThe Knight and his Shadowtale
spellingShingle Emeline Baudet
Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris Diop
Itinéraires
trauma
fabulation
rwandan genocide
Boubacar Boris Diop
The Knight and his Shadow
tale
title Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris Diop
title_full Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris Diop
title_fullStr Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris Diop
title_full_unstemmed Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris Diop
title_short Sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation : l’exemple du génocide rwandais dans Le Cavalier et son ombre de Boubacar Boris Diop
title_sort sortir du cercle infernal traumatique par la fabulation l exemple du genocide rwandais dans le cavalier et son ombre de boubacar boris diop
topic trauma
fabulation
rwandan genocide
Boubacar Boris Diop
The Knight and his Shadow
tale
url https://journals.openedition.org/itineraires/13361
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