Nobel Prize in Literature - Annie Ernaux

On October 6, 2022 the Swedish Academy awarded French author Annie Ernaux the Nobel Prize in Literature.  Ernaux is a prolific writing, authoring over 20 books and dozens of articles over the past several decades.  She is best known for her autobiographical novels, descriptive language and thoughtful feminist commentary on society.  The Nobel committee bestowed the prestigious award on Ernaux “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory."

The award was heralded by Eastern’s Dr. Michèle Bacholle, a French and Francophone literature scholar that has dedicated much of her research to the work of Annie Ernaux.  Bacholle has explored Ernaux’s texts, writing style, and commentary in numerous articles, conference discussion panels, and a book, Annie Ernaux de la perte au corps Glorieux (2011).  Most recently, Bacholle envisioned and created a digital Ernaux museum, titled E-MUSEUM ANNIE ERNAUX: GUIDED TOUR OF (REAL) ERNALIAN PLACES, in 2021.  The e-museum, designed by Eastern alumna Linnea Reich, showcases the places of Ernaux’s life and work thru photographs and personal responses from Bacholle herself. 

Bacholle continues to bring the work of Ernaux to her students at Eastern in FRE 116 Introduction to the French Speaking World, and students delve deeper into selected Ernaux works in FRE 331 Perspectives of Women’s Issues.   Bacholle remarked to her students that she was thrilled by the Nobel announcement because, “it's more than recognizing [Ernaux’s] work, it's also recognizing and seeing and understanding the experiences of poor people, of women and girls that are forced into sex (A Girl's Story), that abort, that go through breast cancer, that love a man obsessively and are not ashamed to be desiring women (Simple Passion).  

In conversations with colleagues following the Nobel Prize announce, Bacholle offered a few suggestions for those curious to explore Ernaux’s work.  

“There two very touching narratives about her parents: A Man's Place (1992) and A Woman's Story (1991), the latter written immediately after her mother's death. Soon, they will publish in English Look at the Lights, My Love, a very true and astute observation of supermarkets and class divisions.  All her books, except for The Years, are around 100 pages; Short reads in a "flat style" at the crossroads of literature, sociology, and anthropology, giving much to reflect on as she exposes classism, racism, sexism."

Bravo et merci Annie Ernaux!