Jean Echenoz – ein ‚jeune auteur‘ zwischen Nouveau Roman und Neuem Realismus

Abstract

Critics agree that there are close structural similarities between Jean Echenoz’s narrative techniques and those of the nouveau roman. To date, however, none has explicitly identified and subjected these similarities to the closer scrutiny they undoubtedly deserve. This article seeks to redress this imbalance by examining Echenoz’s remarkable use of the narrator, present-tense narration and free indirect discourse. Only by analysing these key narrative techniques across his entire oeuvre, it argues, may we situate his works in the context of literary history. It illustrates how Echenoz’s works have developed over the decades; how the author makes innovative use of the aforementioned textual devices to enable new interpretations of his writings; and how, in so doing, the author not only moves on from the nouveau roman, but challenges the very boundaries of French postmodernism.