NATIONALISM IN MAGHREBIAN LITERATURE AND THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW READING MODE

Abstract

The migration of people from the Maghreb countries crossing the Mediterranean and their settlement in various European countries including France has led to the emanation of a plethora of Maghrebian authors who play a major role in the emergence of Maghrebian literature of French expression. In fact, the main concern of this paper is to discuss the role of Maghrebian literature of French expression in the rise of nationalism. The first part of the paper focuses on the functional conception of literature as an expression of Maghrebian being. It explores how literature can lead to Maghrebinity and the construction of a specific Maghrebian mindset. The second part of this paper revolves around the reading mode of Maghrebian texts. The argument is that the creation of any literary work is the result of the fusion and interpretation of two modes of thought: that of the author, who creates the work, and that of the observer, who moves through space and time, giving the work its breath, adopting it, and understanding it. This arrangement of causality between author, work and public is obligatory for the accomplishment and the finality of the work.