{"669758":{"#nid":"669758","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Conversation with French Writer Nicolas Mathieu","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENicolas Mathieu, a French writer who won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 2018 for his novel \u003Cem\u003ETheir Children After Them\u003C\/em\u003E (Leurs enfants apr\u00e8s eux), visited Georgia Tech on Sept. 11, 2023, as part of a collaboration of the School of Modern Languages, the Cultural Services of the French Consulate in Atlanta, and Villa Albertine. St\u00e9phanie Boulard, professor of French in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Modern Languages, moderated the event.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe event, part of the French Speakers Series, attracted around 50 enthusiastic participants who joined the conversation during lunchtime.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe discussion was a truly unique dialogue between two passionate literary minds whose profound connection with the world of literature illuminated the beauty of writing and literary analysis for the audience,\u201d said Sophie Landrieux Kartochian, a lecturer of French in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Modern Languages.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe occasion began with a discussion of Mathieu\u2019s evolution from a budding writer to literary sensation as winner of the French equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. Boulard navigated various overarching themes that permeate Mathieu\u0027s literary works, including the significance of place and roots, the parallels between writing and music, and literature as means of escape. He also discussed novels as cinematic sequences and the transformative power of literature, which Mathieu said had played a role for him personally.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe said his literary acclaim has granted him a powerful voice, enabling him to portray individuals from diverse backgrounds and break free from the chains of social determinism, as discussed under the theme of \u0022briser les chaines de transmission.\u0022 Additionally, the conversation addressed his endeavors to shed light on underrepresented aspects of female sexuality and desire in literature.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne particularly impactful aspect of the conversation was Mathieu\u0027s insight into his writing process. He shared that it all begins with a character, a character he allows to lead him through the writing journey without predetermined outcomes. Mathieu emphasized that his characters were not preconceived, and his literature was far from being demonstrative. He strived for what he aptly termed \u0022transparent writing.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBoulard raised a common thread she had identified in his novels: the theme of anger. Mathieu paused and contemplated the observation before acknowledging its truth. His central characters indeed harbored a deep-seated anger toward complex situations, yet they channeled that emotion into a formidable resistance, illustrating the profound ability of literature to offer a means of punching back at life\u0027s challenges, testifying for life itself.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents seized the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the literary works they are studying in their courses. Among the queries was the question: \u0022What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?\u0022 Mathieu graciously provided three pieces of advice that resonate with all: \u003Cstrong\u003ERead\u003C\/strong\u003E: Immerse yourself in literature to enrich your craft; \u003Cstrong\u003EMaintain Discipline\u003C\/strong\u003E: Dedicate time each day to writing, whether it\u0027s a set amount of time or a specific word count (for Mathieu, it was 1000 words every day); \u003Cstrong\u003EBe Available\u003C\/strong\u003E: Create the necessary mental space in your life for writing. Organize your daily routines to accommodate your writing aspirations. Don\u0027t wait for inspiration; simply start writing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe discussion was a truly unique dialogue between two passionate literary minds whose profound connection with the world of literature illuminated the beauty of writing and literary analysis for the audience,\u201d said Sophie Landrieux Kartochian, a lecturer of French in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Modern Languages.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Nicolas Mathieu, a French writer who won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 2018 for his novel Their Children After Them (Leurs enfants apr\u00e8s eux), visited Georgia Tech on Sept. 11, 2023."}],"uid":"36009","created_gmt":"2023-09-18 20:18:09","changed_gmt":"2023-09-18 20:23:15","author":"cwhittle9","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671740":{"id":"671740","type":"image","title":"modlangs french speaker.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESt\u00e9phanie Boulard (left) speaks with French writer Nicolas Mathieu (right) at the event on Sept. 11, 2023, at Price Gilbert Memorial Library.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695068302","gmt_created":"2023-09-18 20:18:22","changed":"1695068302","gmt_changed":"2023-09-18 20:18:22","alt":"Stephanie Boulard and Nicolas Mathieu site in front of a crowd of people with the France Atlanta banner behind them.","file":{"fid":"254850","name":"modlangs french speaker.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/18\/modlangs%20french%20speaker.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/18\/modlangs%20french%20speaker.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1512317,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/18\/modlangs%20french%20speaker.jpg?itok=J-o5cu6x"}}},"media_ids":["671740"],"groups":[{"id":"1281","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"1284","name":"School of Modern Languages"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"191493","name":"french at georgia tech"},{"id":"3016","name":"French"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan McRainey\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emegan.mcrainey@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}