Dire la bataille: expérience individuelle et sujet collectif dans les récits de la Première Guerre mondiale

Abstract

Abstract:Drawing on Jacques Neefs’ work in the field of sociocriticism and on the topic of literary representation of war, this article analyzes two accounts of the Great War by French soldiers-writers Henri Barbusse and Blaise Cendrars. Our analysis highlights the different ways in which these authors tackle the relationship between individuality and collectivity in the experience of the conflict, discussing the emotional and affective role played by the group in the soldiers’ identities.