Franco-America in the Making: the Creole Nation Within by Jonathan K. Gosnell

Abstract

Reviewed by: Franco-America in the Making: the Creole Nation Within by Jonathan K. Gosnell Manon Pagé (bio) Jonathan K. Gosnell. Franco-America in the Making: the Creole Nation Within. U of Nebraska P, 2018. 366 pages. Gosnell's book offers a detailed description and analysis of how Americans of French descent continue to express and perform their heritage in today's America. His study focuses on how Frenchness is communicated and shown in communities that have undergone two centuries of Americanization, especially in Louisiana, but also in New England. The in-depth investigation of "Francos" from this latter region who are overall absent from most academic works makes the originality of this book. Indeed four of the six chapters of this study focus on the different expressions of Frenchness in New Hampshire, [End Page 844] Rhode Island and Massachusetts, while the first one works as an overview of Franco-Americanness today and the last one is dedicated to today's French and Creole culture in Louisiana. Although the author declares his intentions of directing his attention toward contemporary forms of Frenchness in American society, the reader will find many more or less brief passages giving historical background to better understand these cultural phenomena. However, Gosnell does not situate himself in the trend of cultural history but rather in the field of anthropology. This is the reason why he focused on various cultural objects and places such as commemorative monuments, women clubs, newspapers, radio stations, celebrations, music etc. He also punctually conveys works from other anthropologists like Nick Spitzer, ethnographers like Michael P. Smith or cultural theorists like Homi Bhabha, among others. The analysis inscribes itself in the scope of post-colonial studies and Gosnell doesn't hesitate to bring forward literary theory, and more specifically the concept of littérature-monde in order to explain the different issues and tensions in the Francophone world. Finally, the author refers to numerous contemporary films and books that represent French culture within American society, such as the 2002 documentary Gumboh! là! là!, the HBO series Treme, or Jack Kerouac's mostly unknown book Sur le chemin, written before his famous On the Road, and primarily in French. In a few words, this book stands out due to its broad interdisciplinarity, the density of documentation given as well as the detailed analysis of these objects by the author. The reader of Franco-America in the Making will learn a lot about the situation of "Francos," who were also called "white niggers" in New England, and why it is so difficult for them to carry on a culture that is rejected in the society they live in. Gosnell also emphasizes their efforts through showing the various organizations created in the United States to preserve French traditions and language, especially since the 1960s, but also why most of them are failing while others still struggle to survive. Through the analysis of Creole and Cajun culture in Louisiana, the author manages to explain how being French in America is inherently linked to the notion of hybridity or, as he calls it, the concept of "middle ground." Indeed, if French settlers had more peaceful relationships with Native Indians, it is because they were willing to exchange with them and blend in to their culture rather than favor separation. This behavior is still present today and that is the reason why, according to the author, French culture is rather invisible in the United States. Lastly, the reader will travel a lot between Louisiana, New England and Quebec since the author pays specific attention to places. He believes that places such as commemorative monuments, small towns like Lowell, Massachusetts and celebrations like Mardi Gras are privileged lenses of analysis because this is where "cultures collide" and where the hybridity of Franco-Americans is best revealed. As mentioned before, this book is dense and the passion of the author for his topic sometimes makes it hard to follow. Although the chapters are divided into various sections, the headings do not always help the reading, [End Page 845] either because they are too vague or because what follows doesn't really corresponds to what is announced. For example, in the second...