La Quête Identitaire dans Truismes et Le Mal de mer de Marie Darrieussecq

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to examine the identity quest in the novels Truismes and Le Mal de mer by Marie Darrieussecq. In order to clarify the problematic of the thesis—namely, the root causes behind the identity quest of Darrieussecq's characters; societal identity of women was explored by drawing on the theories of Bourdieu, Kristeva, and Irigaray. To this end, before all, the identity quest was examined through a study of the mentioned protagonists, highlighting specific societal factors that influence their journeys. In this context, we examined themes such as abjection, identity stereotypes, collective unconscious, struggles against social stereotypes, trauma, social isolation, and nature as a way of life. Next, the characters were analyzed from a psychological perspective, relying on Jungian theory related to the collective unconscious. Finally, we studied how anthropomorphism, as a metaphor for alienation and rejection of social norms, contributes to the characters' quest for identity in Truismes and Le Mal de mer. Thus, the conclusion is imposed in a logic of articulation between the novels studied and the sociological frameworks mentionned. The literature of Marie Darrieussecq, far from solely fictional, becomes a sensitive and political field of experimentation where the question of feminine identity is replayed in a world dominated by patriarchal logic.