I am renewing my acquaintance with André Gide whom I've not really read since my A level days back in the 70's when La porte étroite was one of my favourite set texts-vive unrequited love! Gide's ability to convey mixed emotions and motivations is unparalleled. He accomplishes this with a readability and humanity which are deceptively simple. I'm covering La symphonie pastorale which is a set text on the Irish CCEA board A level and am being drawn into the mind of the priest who is relating the story of how he rescues the blind "mindless" teenager Gertrude from where she was living after her "carer" dies. The way we see the narrator's wife Amélie swing from despair at yet another imposition by her maybe overly charitable husband to a crusading generosity is cleverly and beautifully described in a few paragraphs.
With alevelfrench.com literature titles I have tried to make it easier to introduce newish texts such as Kiffe kiffe demain and No et moi to their students; La symphonie is written in straightforward language albeit in the past historic with a fair number of past anteriors and imperfect subjunctives. However these do not distract from the clarity of the narration and the way in which we can contrast life pre the état de providence when a caring, motivated priest could help keep a village together in a paternal way.
There are echoes of the generosity of spirit of Lou the narrator of No et moi in the priest's inability to ignore suffering humanity. The nouvelle has a timeless appeal which is worthy of study.
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