Intertextualités francophones par Amélie Michel (review)

Reviewed by: Intertextualités francophones par Amélie Michel Anoosheh Ghaderi Michel, Amélie. Intertextualités francophones. PU Laval, 2021. ISBN 978-2-763-75422-2. Pp. 136. Drawing from the premise that every text is constructed as a mosaic of quotations and represents the absorption and transformation of other texts, this essay collection delves into the multifaceted world of intertextuality and examines diverse expressions of intertextual referencing such as citation, parody, and dialogism. The book provides a unique overview of the ways in which six francophone writers engage with others' discourses, linguistic codes, and ideas to effectively counter univocal perspectives, challenge conventional codes, and offer a platform for renegotiating narratives and revealing the intricacies within seemingly established viewpoints, namely, colonial rationalism. The first two essays and the final essay explore the mechanism of "distancing" by adopting different approaches. For instance, Patrick Chamoiseau employs irony to push for a critical distancing from religious discourses that legitimized slavery in the Antilles. Likewise, in Werewere Liking's novel, Elle sera de jaspe et de corail, through the creative process of writing a personal diary, the female narrator advocates for the emergence of a new language that could foster social change and challenge the widespread Afro-pessimistic mentality propagated by the West. In Le scribe et son ombre, assimilation and transformation of other texts becomes the method for Abdelkébir Khatibi to write his intellectual autobiography. Khatibi conceives autobiography as an exercise of otherness, using quotations to express himself through the words of others, resulting in a narrative with multiple voices and dialogues that breaks traditional form and portrays a mosaic-like personality. The other essays shed light on how poets and writers integrate different discourses, ideologies, and stereotypes to expand the semantic space and put diverse ideas into the conversation. For instance, in Guy Tirolien's collection of poems, Balles d'or, the use of intertextual dialogue broadens the poems' semantic scope and blurs the boundaries between distinct literary conventions. As a result, Tirolien can observe the transformation of his society and actively engage in its cultural and social reconstruction. Nonetheless, intertextuality offers the potential for transposing the semiotic system, a concept explored by Anne-Sophie Boudreau and Nicolas Treiber as they draw an analogy between Frantz Kafka's Le procès and Marie Ndiaye's Un temps de saison. They argue that literary texts interact through intertextuality to reappropriate and renew their predecessors, which expands the network of meanings. Therefore, intertextual transformation, specifically the caricature and posture of Ndiaye's character, serves the theme of strangeness central to both texts, enhancing their power and encouraging reflections on the world's existence. This collection's accessible language and its extensive close reading of various texts make it a highly recommended read for literary scholars, especially those who are focused on teaching methodologies of literary research. The [End Page 98] comprehensive introduction by Amélie Michel effectively elucidates the theoretical foundations upon which the authors of this collection have constructed their arguments, heavily influenced by Kristeva's interpretation of Bakhtin's dialogism. While delivering a compelling and diverse range of intertextual referencing in a variety of texts, this book leaves readers with the hope for a formal conclusion that would enrich the discourse further. [End Page 99] Anoosheh Ghaderi Louisiana State University Copyright © 2024 American Association of Teachers of French

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