Le rôle de la mémoire dans les écritures personnelles de Jacques Chessex

Abstract

The personals writings of the Swiss Romand writer Jacques Chessex place themselves in-between two fertile spheres. Firstly, we have to mention that they are a part of the system which includes the narrative fiction and the invented story; secondly, we can definitely argue that they prove the existence at this level of some real autobiographical facts. The back and forth between these two poles is provided by Memory which diminishes and at the same time reinforces the values of fiction and reality. It is this Memory the one that establishes the balance between autobiography and autofiction, between an “I” of the Past and an “I” of the Present. But does or can Memory really ensure fidelity when it comes to the transfer of memories from Past to Present? Or does it act like a traitor? The discontinuities of Memory seem to be real strategies used by the “I” in order to ventilate the conscience of a Narrator constantly submitted to internal conflicts. What is the place of oblivion in this context? These are some of the questions to which we will try to find an answer by means of our study, analyzing three of Chessex’s texts: L’Imparfait (1996), Monsieur (2006), Pardon Mère (2008).