Le Récit Génétique Au Xviiie Siècle

The exploration of narrative as a form of truth is central to the eighteenth-century novel, prompting J. Herman to investigate how language conceals or reveals the origins of the stories it tells. By engaging with writing theories from Plato to Derrida, Herman presents a fresh lens for reading memoir-novels, particularly analyzing the recurring motif of the found child. This figure serves as both theme and metaphor for the text's quest for legitimacy. Through a detailed theoretical exposition and systematic analysis of key works by authors like Marivaux and Laclos, a new rhetorical decoding method emerges.