Abstract

In this article I will attempt to show how the role of Romanesque writing and the technical choices therein expose readers to transcultural perspectives. Franco-Iranian author Ali Erfan approaches recurring themes surrounding the situation of exile in his novel Adieu Ménilmontant (Goodbye Ménilmontant) and is a good example of this phenomenon.1 He explores the sociocultural and historical antagonisms of his host country and Iran by anachronistically hiding—all the while inciting the reader to reflect upon—ideologies such as Nazism and Islamism. He places the responsibility of engaging in national politics upon the story’s main character, borrowing upon narrative elements (e.g., imagery), and themes from the oral tradition of the Oriental tale, including the search for one’s self and its reflection in the metaphorical mirror—by remodeling them in the (post)modern context. Finally, the surreal ending of the plot and the character’s psychological profile emphasize, once more, the possibilities of fictional writing within the totally free space of creativity.

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