De Beauvoir is a world-famous author – one of the Big eclectic thinker-writers of the mid-late 20th century – with an enormous output. Slowly her novels are being recognised as philosophical works – as examples of the lived-experience – people could see themselves in her characters,’ their thinking and motivations, challenges and difficult situations. Her memoirs are a chronicle of the times and her effort to make, take, tailor and tell her own existential life story. Simone is a challenging writer for the reader, yet a great author, who loved and knew the practical and transcendent effect of words that can change individual lives and societies.
Some works of Simone de Beauvoir:
- Memoir of a Dutiful Daughter (2005), Harper Perrenial NY, ISBN 978006082519
- A Very Easy Death "Une morte tres douce" (1964), Pantheon NY, ISBN 0394728998
- The Prime of Life (1962) – Penguin London
- Letters to Sartre (1991) – Vintage London, ISBN 9780099914907
- Her life as a voluminous writer for almost 50 years
- We will look at her role and impact as writer-intellectual and novelist
- Her use of novels and memoir to tailor and curate her own existential life story – in light of her portrayal by mainstream media as merely Sartre's follower
- 30 minutes facilitated discussion and discourse
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Recognise Simone is one of the creative original thinkers and writers of the second half of the 20th century, with a substantial legacy for women and men
- Recognise that Simone’s body-of-writings goes beyond the trail-blazing best-seller The Second Sex, as Simone herself clearly stated and lamented
