The Negro Myth: Ideology of Race, Sexuality and Immobility in Dany Laferrière

Abstract

This dissertation examines the issue of race through a paradigm based on the question of myth and mythology. I argue that the Haitian born novelist, Dany Laferrière, revolutionizes traditional literatures on race and racism by shifting the analytical focus from a pure question of 'race' to a question of 'myth.' In so doing, instead of objectifying the Black figure as did ethnological works on race (Tempels, Gobineau), or presenting the Black as a fixed signified as post-colonial literatures of resistance (Césaire, Fanon, Senghor, Diop) tended to do, Laferrière opts for a representation of the Black as a floating signifier. The Black is a myth that, just as other myths, can be placed with dreams and simulacra. Ultimately, the dissertation shows that Laferrière finds ideological solace in the opportunity to beat the racist "Black myth" at its own game by representing the Black as no more than a myth.

Alternate abstract:

You are viewing a machine translation of selected content from our databases. This functionality is provided solely for your convenience and is in no way intended to replace human translation. Show full disclaimer

Neither ProQuest nor its licensors make any representations or warranties with respect to the translations. The translations are automatically generated "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" and are not retained in our systems. PROQUEST AND ITS LICENSORS SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTIES FOR AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, NON-INFRINGMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Your use of the translations is subject to all use restrictions contained in your Electronic Products License Agreement and by using the translation functionality you agree to forgo any and all claims against ProQuest or its licensors for your use of the translation functionality and any output derived there from. Hide full disclaimer

Cette thèse examine la question de la race à travers un paradigme basé sur la question du mythe et de la mythologie. Je soutiens que le romancier d'origine haïtienne, Dany Laferrière, révolutionne les littératures traditionnelles sur la race et le racisme en déplaçant la focalisation analytique d'une pure question de « race » à une question de « mythe ». Ce faisant, au lieu d'objectiver la figure noire comme le faisaient les travaux ethnologiques sur la race (Tempels, Gobineau), ou de présenter le Noir comme un signifié figé comme tendaient à le faire les littératures de résistance postcoloniales (Césaire, Fanon, Senghor, Diop), Laferrière opte pour une représentation du Noir comme signifiant flottant. Le Noir est un mythe qui, comme d'autres mythes, peut être placé avec des rêves et des simulacres. En fin de compte, la thèse montre que Laferrière trouve un réconfort idéologique dans l'opportunité de battre le « mythe noir » raciste à son propre jeu en représentant le Noir comme rien de plus qu'un mythe.