Du roman exotique à l’interprétation (dés)exotisante : les romans « japonais » d’Amélie Nothomb et leurs lectures
From Exotic Novel to (De-)Exoticizing Interpretation: Amélie Nothomb’s “Japanese” Novels and Their Readings

Summary/Abstract: Taking issue with the thesis about the end of exoticism in contemporary literature, the author of the article analyses the permanence of exotic discourse in Amélie Nothomb’s “Japanese” novels: Fear and Trembling, The Character of Rain and Tokyo Fiancée. The Belgian novelist seems to appeal to the exotic because of the dynamics of her identity: it allows her to distance herself from the idealized country of the childhood. The exoticization of Japan by the author is often reinforced in readings of her novels. However, her novels also possess some de-exoticizing potential, activated in other interpretations. So, exoticization and de- exoticization seem to be equally dependent on the identity of the novelist and of the readers.

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