LA NOMADE, LES ANGES ET LES DÉMONS. Une analyse de la distance narrative dans Le Fabuleux et Triste Destin d’Ivan et Ivana (2017) de Maryse Condé

Abstract

In this study, a narratological analysis has been conducted of the narrative distance in the novel Le Fabuleux et Triste Destin d’Ivan et Ivana (2017) by postcolonial author Maryse Condé. The recurrent structures found in the novel concerning narrative distance have been examined. An attempt has also been made to interpret the choice of distance from a postcolonial perspective; in particular, an aim has been to examine a hypothesis proposed by Cappella (2017), which concerns the possible link between the using of the free indirect discourse and the representation of “bad” characters. We are inclined to suggest that the free indirect discourse constitutes a key technique of this novel, as it is often used to represent the discourse of the “bad” character (Ivan). A variation of types of distance has however been observed in the novel analyzed, with the presence of certain cases of reported discourses that stand out in a narrative in which thoughts are in general prioritized. Additionally, the narrator appears to guide the reader by using the narratized discourse, as the intention of the work is not concealed.