On the afternoon of October 24, 2024, Professor Chantal Wionet, a Ph.D. supervisor from the University of Avignon in France, was invited by the School of Foreign Languages to deliver an academic lecture titled "Overview of Contemporary French Literature: Language and Style" in the 14th-floor multi-functional room of Xuehai Building. The lecture was chaired by Zhou Yana, a professor from the French Department, and co-organized by the French Association. It was attended by teachers Zhang Rui and Chen Minghao, along with undergraduate and graduate students from the French Department.
At the beginning of the lecture, Professor Wionet introduced the representative authors of modern French literature, their seminal works, and linguistic characteristics through a literary journey of contemporary French literature from 2008 to the present, emphasizing the diversity and expressiveness of language. She pointed out that in recent years, female writers have been excelling in the French literary world, demonstrating the importance of women in the realm of literary and artistic endeavors.
Subsequently, Professor Wionet carefully selected several of the latest literary works in the French literary domain and delved into their unique linguistic styles and artistic pursuits. She introduced Les derniers indiens by Marie-Hélène Lafon, published in 2008, dissecting specific textual examples to illustrate how the author used the parallelism and the omission of conjunctions to reveal the flow of thought in writing. Professor Wionet not only deciphered the beauty of the text but also provided insights into the historical context and cultural significance of the work.
Another example Professor Wionet selected was Joseph Ponthus's 2009 publication, À la ligne, Feuillets d’usine. This work has garnered widespread attention for its unique narrative techniques and industrial subject matter. She offered a comprehensive analysis of the novel's distinctive poetic form, reflecting the social changes and explorations of human nature within the process of industrialization. Not only did she elucidate the unique linguistic style of the work, but she also combined specific textual passages, allowing the audience to more directly experience the profound emotions and intellectual depth conveyed by the work.
During the interactive session, Professor Wionet provided detailed answers to all the audience’s questions. Whether it was about the skillful use of the past tense in recounting historical narratives or the unique effects of the present tense in expressing immediate emotions and psychological activities, she patiently and meticulously explained each point, ensuring that students could understand and accurately grasp these concepts.
Through this lecture, the faculty and students of the French Department gained new insights into the cutting-edge trends of 21st-century French literature. It also opened up new perspectives and approaches for the study of French literature, text, and stylistic analysis. The close interaction between experts, scholars, and students honed everyone's oral communication skills and critical thinking abilities. Finally, the lecture ended successfully amidst enthusiastic applause from the audience.
(Photographer: French Association | Contributor: Zou Anqi | Reviewer: Li Hui)
