Title: Self-Conscious Art
Description: 'A Self-Conscious Art' deals with the formal complexities of Modiano's work, by reading 'against the grain' of his self-professed ingenuousness. A detailed examination of his narratives shows the deeply postmodern nature of his writing. Parodying precursors such as Proust or the nouveau romanciers, his narratives are built around a profound lack of faith in the ability of writing to retrieve the past through memory, and this failure is acknowledged in the discreet playfulness that characterises his novels.
Subjects: Postmodernism (Literature), History and criticism, Criticism and interpretation, French fiction, French fiction, history and criticism, Criticism and interpretationmodiano, patrick , 1945-, Modiano, patrick , 1945-, French fiction--history and criticism, French fiction--20th century--history and criticism, Pq2673.o3 z75 2000