The immoralist

Description

The Immoralist (French: L'Immoraliste) is a novel by André Gide, published in France in 1902. The Immoralist is a recollection of events that Michel narrates to his three visiting friends. One of those friends solicits job search assistance for Michel by including in a letter to Monsieur D. R., Président du Conseil, a transcript of Michel's first-person account. Important points of Michel's story are his recovery from tuberculosis; his attraction to a series of Arab boys and to his estate caretaker's son; and the evolution of a new perspective on life and society. Through his journey, Michel finds a kindred spirit in the rebellious Ménalque.

Description

"In The Immoralist, Andre Gide presents the confessional account of a man seeking the truth of his own nature. The story's protagonist, Michel, knows nothing about love when he marries the gentle Marceline out of duty to his father. On the couple's honeymoon to Tunisia, Michel becomes very ill, and during his recovery he meets a young Arab boy whose radiant health and beauty captivate him. An awakening for him both sexually and morally, Michel discovers a new freedom in seeking to live according to his own desires. But, as he also comes to find, freedom can be a burden. A frank defense of homosexuality and a challenge to prevailing ethical concepts, The Immoralist is a literary landmark, marked by Gide's masterful, pure, simple style."--BOOK JACKET.

Subjects

Other Editions

• The immoralistVintage International1996-01-01
• L' immoralisteMercure de France1923-01-01
• The immoralistKnopf1930-01-01
• The immoralist.Cassell1953-01-01
• The Immoralist (V-8)Vintage Books1958-01-01
• L' immoralisteMercure de France1960-01-01