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Michel Tournier; Translated By Barbara Wright.
A young boy from the Sahara desert embarks on a transformative odyssey to Paris after a chance encounter with a stranger leaves him obsessed with a lost image of himself. Idris, the protagonist, leaves his familiar oasis life to navigate the stark cultural contrasts of the modern urban world. He faces the alienation of the immigrant experience and the struggle to maintain his identity while being pulled into the complex, often superficial, social structures of France. The narrative follows his internal and external shifts as he attempts to reconcile his desert heritage with his new reality.
This work is characterized by its lyrical prose and its focus on the philosophical dimensions of cultural collision. The narrative suggests a deliberate pacing that prioritizes symbolic resonance over rapid plot progression. Readers often note the author's ability to render the stark beauty of the desert alongside the chaotic, sensory overload of the Parisian cityscape. The text functions as a meditation on the nature of the self when removed from its original context, offering a nuanced look at the immigrant condition.
Page Count:
192
Publication Date:
1987-01-01
Publisher:
William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.
ISBN-10:
0002231395
ISBN-13:
9780002231398
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