Aïni et l’archétype du « personhatique » : une réflexion sur le personnage porteur de haine dans La Grande Maison de Mohammed Dib
Aïni and the Archetype of the “Personhatic”: a Reflection on the Hater in La Grande Maison by Mohammed Dib

Summary/Abstract: Every novel conveys an image of the world which is partially expressed in the characters’ behavior, in their development throughout the story, in the author’s intentions concerning them, as well as in the way in which he/she brings them to life. Through these “living people without entrails” (Paul Valéry, 1960 : 569) whose history revolves around their destiny, the novel invites reflection on a particular situation, on a certain state of affairs or even on a whole world vision that is struggling to get established. In the present study, we aim to shed light on a literary character whose traits and behavior symbolize the hatred entailed (mainly) by the cruelty of a colonized society. La Grande Maison (“The Large House”) by Mohammed Dib, the object of our approach, is meant to be an act of memory retracing an experience made infernal by harsh and painful living conditions. Under the pressure of an uncertain future and due to a set of specific circumstances, negative feelings finish by taking control of Aïni, the protagonist of the novel. The author made Aïni a character full of hatred and her dominant position in the book is indicative of the deep effects on people brought about by the injustice of the world.

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