Writing, brevity and mood in François Mauriac's Bloc-notes

Abstract

Since the revolution, as we know, journalism and polemics have gone hand in hand. We owe in particular to Voltaire to have united controversy and current affairs, "hot speech". But, it is after 1789 that the speech on the political controversies passes by the newspaper. And Mauriac gives, in his Bloc-notes, a period color of an implacable accuracy. He willingly takes topical polemics as his subject. Now the polemical discourse is an emotional discourse which reveals to us a passionate Mauriac (mood of pity, joy, hatred, etc.), which underlines the spontaneous and sincere character of an ego which is indignant. This is why Bloc-notes appears as a scene that, by nature, contradicts good faith and reason. This article seeks to show how the affectivity of the author controls the discourse and that he personally engages in it to speak directly to the reader, by revealing himself, and by confessing himself. Keywords: Mauriac, Bloc-notes, writing, passion, humor, brevity.