Influence of II World War in the literary work of Saint-Exupéry

• Grant number: 11/15053-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: December 01, 2011
• End date: June 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Literature - Modern Foreign Literatures
• Principal Investigator: Maria Lídia Lichtscheidl Maretti
• Grantee: Patricia Munhoz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This work aims to analyze the work of Antoine Jean Baptiste Marie Roger de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944), well known simply as Saint-Exupéry, one of the greatest French authors at his time. His work was strongly influenced by II World War and consequent France occupation by Nazi army. To reach this objective, two Saint-Exupéry classics will be mainly explored. Firstly, 'The Little Prince' (1943), since it is the Saint-Exupéry most popular work, translated to more than two hundred languages and dialects. 'Flight to Arras' (1942) will be the second analyzed work. Both were written in foreign soil, in a non native author language, in a while when the author was kept banished from France, exiled in United Sates of America. Besides these two classics, 'Wartime Writings' (1982) will be also a target of our research, nevertheless been written latter. As is suggested in the title, the last one concentrates notes, reports, articles, testimonies and letters (mainly 'Letter to a Hostage'), all dealing with subjects related to the war. In this way, this work will demonstrate how the social-politic issues have affected Saint-Exupéry work, specifically pointing the critical and barbarous circumstances in France during the war. This last consideration can be illustrated by the prohibition of acquiring Saint-Exupéry books at the war time. Finally, this work intends to perform a reflection about traces of existentialism in Saint-Exupéry production, mainly by aspects related to anguish, responsibility, exile and engagement, all being considered characteristics of this warlike phase of Saint-Exupéry life. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MUNHOZ, Patricia. A influência da Segunda Guerra Mundial na produção literária de Saint- Exupéry. 2014. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências e Letras. Assis Assis.