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Young Man in Chains
Ce premier roman met en scène un petit-bourgeois provincial suffisant et égoïste, Jean-Paul Johanet, portrait en forme d'autocritique et caricaturé de François Mauriac à vingt ans.
Jean-Paul partage sa vie parisienne entre la fréquentation désabusée des salons et l'engagement dans un mouvement catholique : "l'union Amour et Foi". Tout d'abord fasciné par le meneur du mouvement, Jérôme Servet, et flatté par l'intérêt que celui-ci lui porte, il finira par s'en éloigner.
Dans le même temps, Jean-Paul trouve une intense satisfaction dans la vénération que lui voue un jeune ouvrier, Georges Élie.
(publié en 1913 chez Grasset)
Jean-Paul partage sa vie parisienne entre la fréquentation désabusée des salons et l'engagement dans un mouvement catholique : "l'union Amour et Foi". Tout d'abord fasciné par le meneur du mouvement, Jérôme Servet, et flatté par l'intérêt que celui-ci lui porte, il finira par s'en éloigner.
Dans le même temps, Jean-Paul trouve une intense satisfaction dans la vénération que lui voue un jeune ouvrier, Georges Élie.
(publié en 1913 chez Grasset)
- GenresFiction
123 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1913
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36 people want to read
About the author
François Mauriac
564 books403 followersFrançois Charles Mauriac was a French writer and a member of the Académie française. He was awarded the 1952 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the deep spiritual insight and the artistic intensity with which he has in his novels penetrated the drama of human life." Mauriac is acknowledged to be one of the greatest Roman Catholic writers of the 20th century.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 26, 2019
A young French student's idealism attracts him to a charismatic leader but because he is from a well-to-do family and the other followers are lower class he becomes disillusioned. He is aimless and is unable to decide what to do with his life and becomes estranged from his friends. He is enamored with religion but does not feel worthy and he has a young woman in love with him but remains distant from her. A fairly depressing story told at times in overly dramatic dialog.
May 10, 2016
A student longs for love but lives in self imposed isolation.
January 25, 2021
A one hour read that is worth it. While the book started out rather poorly for this reader, it found its footing as it went on. This is a worthwhile novella on youthful intellectual arrogance and elitism. The main character exhibits all of the traits of a intelligent college student or twenty something, who is so wrapped up in their intellectual world, that they forget to live during the best years of their life. Had it been a bit more fleshed out, I think it would be worthy of many other great coming of age bildungsromans.
I do have some criticisms. First, the female character was hopelessly ideal and unrealistic. In fact, all but the main character were ideal or stock characters. The only changing or truly realized character, was the main character. There wasnt much meat to the whole youth religious social/political movement portion of the novel. This could have been interesting, but it was never truly explored. Although the novel was written from 1908-1912, it feels like it was written in the 19th century. To that end, the religion and spirituality of the main character had a decidedly 19th century feel, and seemed a bit too superficial, rather than truly lived in or felt by the main character. The same with his love--it was almost a duty or religious duty, not a more modern and emotional feeling.
I do have some criticisms. First, the female character was hopelessly ideal and unrealistic. In fact, all but the main character were ideal or stock characters. The only changing or truly realized character, was the main character. There wasnt much meat to the whole youth religious social/political movement portion of the novel. This could have been interesting, but it was never truly explored. Although the novel was written from 1908-1912, it feels like it was written in the 19th century. To that end, the religion and spirituality of the main character had a decidedly 19th century feel, and seemed a bit too superficial, rather than truly lived in or felt by the main character. The same with his love--it was almost a duty or religious duty, not a more modern and emotional feeling.
May 23, 2018
As expected, one more Nobel Prize book falls to the dropped shelf.
January 27, 2021
Another really profound work from Mauriac. It provokes really deep thought, as always. However, he is great about not beating his point into the ground. This is a very short read that is reminiscent of the Prodigal Son and Alma the Younger (Mosiah 27 in The Book of Mormon) - even Corianton (Alma 39 in The Book of Mormon). There was a lot here for personal introspection. In addition, there was just some really great writing - particularly the last few paragraphs of Chapter 28. WOW. I was also unexpectedly referred to some spectacular classical music that I will be adding to my collection. This is a book to reread in a few years. As always, it left me wishing so much that I could read the original French and understand it as well as the English translation (The colloquial translation had to be pretty brutal work, but Gerard Hopkins does not disappoint.)
August 5, 2016
This book is without a doubt the biggest waste of time of any book I've ever read. I'd rate it a zero if Goodreads would let me!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews