Roman Nouveau

According to Encyclopaedia Britannicat the Nouveau Roman was "New Novel, avant-garde novel of the mid-20th century that marked a radical departure from the conventions of the traditional novel in that it ignores such elements as plot, dialogue, linear narrative, and human interest." ("New Novel")

The New Novel was  a French Modernist literary movement whose antecedents were Joyce, Beckett and Proust. It’s a movement which inspired British writers in the 60s and 70s such as BS Johnson, Rayner Heppenstall, Ann Quin and Muriel Spark. It is seen by some commentators as standing mid-way between modernism and postmodernism. 

Overview

Nouveau Roman, or New Novel, is a literary genre that started in mid-20th century France. A group of French writers rejected traditional storytelling methods and experimented with form, ignoring standard elements like plot, narration, characters, and any connection to the real world. 

These authors moved away from realism and naturalism, shifting their focus from story and character to objects and random perceptions. This approach confuses readers while encouraging them to actively create meaning. 

The New Novel is marked by flat writing, lacking action and emotion, and often includes self-reflection. 

Key Characteristics (+ examples)

1. The Nouveau Roman genre is known for its bold experiments in storytelling, breaking away from traditional elements like plot, setting, character descriptions, and even the narrator. Key French writers in this genre include Alain Robbe-Grillet, Claude Simon, Michel Butor, and Nathalie Sarraute.

2.  Nouveau Roman novels often use the present tense, making the story feel immediate while avoiding clear timelines. For example, Robbe-Grillet’s "Jealousy" repeatedly emphasizes "now," while Butor’s "Second Thoughts" follows a protagonist on a train in real time.

3. These authors focus on everyday life, revealing deep emotions through mundane details. Sarraute’s "Tropisms" explores thoughts and feelings, while "The Planetarium" looks at subtle communication.

4. The genre also examines how language connects to reality, highlighting its limitations. Without a traditional narrator, readers must find their own meanings. In "In the Labyrinth," Robbe-Grillet challenges typical storytelling methods, and Sarraute’s "The Use of Speech" investigates the unspoken meanings in conversation.

5. Nouveau Roman works often reflect on their own creation, sometimes discussing their own narrative or involving critics within the text. This self-reflexivity encourages active reader participation. For example, Butor’s "Second Thoughts" ends with a reflection on its own writing, while Sarraute’s "The Golden Fruits" features critics talking about a book of the same name.

6. These novels often draw on detective fiction elements to engage readers more deeply. Duras’s "Moderato Cantabile" mixes detective motifs with classical tragedy, while Robbe-Grillet’s "The Voyeur" centers around a murder.

7. The writing style is usually flat, lacking dramatic action or emotional language. Robbe-Grillet’s "The Erasers" is a prime example of this approach, which was influenced by Roland Barthes’s concept of “écriture blanche,” or flat writing. Duras’s work also embodies this minimalist style.

References

Freed-Thall, Hannah. “Suspicion and Novelty: The Nouveau Roman.” The Cambridge History of the Novel in French. Ed. Adam Watt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021. 508–522. Print.

https://www.britannica.com/art/literature 

https://poemanalysis.com/genre/nouveau-roman/ 

https://intothegyre.org/2020/01/25/the-nouveau-roman-where-to-start/ 

Used photos

https://phte.upf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Nouveau_roman.jpg 

Barbora Miksteinová 563487