An overview of some of the major literary prizes - episode #1
Le Regard Libre N° 47 - Loris S. Musumeci
«Gaspard's night evokes a self that has not acceded to the condition of subject, to the ordinary and prodigious possibility of saying I. It is an additional, unexpected, impenetrable enigma.»
A little book that doesn't look like much, for a big thought that's more necessary than ever. Gaspard de la nuit takes the form of a short philosophical essay - which it fully is - but it also takes the form of a sober yet profound tribute from philosopher Elisabeth de Fontenay to her mentally handicapped brother. These two dimensions are very well articulated, because they nourish each other: the brother's story is carried by a reflection on disability, and the pages of philosophical essays are suddenly carried by the brother's life testimony.
This is a well-deserved and useful prize. Not only does it honor the author's impressive career as a professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne, but it also highlights the cause of disability, which has been placed in real jeopardy by thinkers such as Heidegger, who was close to Nazism, and current intellectuals such as Peter Singer, who considers the life of a mentally handicapped person to be worthless. Elisabeth de Fontenay responds with coherence and placidity, based on her own experience of her brother.
Last but not least, the book is fairly accessible, even if it doesn't shy away from cutting-edge thinking. Admittedly, the philosophy pages require some basic knowledge. Fortunately, writing philosophy is full of pedagogy and proceeds step by step. The heart of the book, however, lies in the tenderness the author expresses towards this simpleton brother, who nonetheless brings tears to the eyes.
«And yet, one day, as we arrived in the countryside, he whispered, ‘I'm glad.’ This word, emerging from his fog, from his tiny territory of communication, I received as a gift.»
Write to the author: loris.musumeci@leregardlibre.com
Photo credit: © Wikimedia Commons
Elisabeth de Fontenay
Gaspard de la nuit
Editions Stock
2018
133 pages
French 
German 
English