simone and algeria
Today was another free day, so I’d like to talk about what we learned in class.
Dr. Baah told us that Simone Beauvoir, the author of The Woman Destroyed, had the brain of a man—at least, according to her father.
I find that remark offensive, for obvious reasons. Yet, at that time, I’m sure it would have only served to inflate my ego, if I had been told that.
In the first story we read, The Age of Discretion, there were a few remarks about the Algerian War. I decided to brush up on my history:
“The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian War of Independence or in French: Guerre d’Algérie, was a conflict between France and Algerian independence movements from 1954 to 1962, which led to Algeria gaining her independence from France. An important decolonization war, it was a complex conflict characterized by guerrilla warfare, maquis fighting, terrorism against civilians, use of torture on both sides and counter-terrorism operations by the French Army. Effectively started by members of the National Liberation Front (FLN) on 1 November 1954 during the Toussaint Rouge (“Red All Saints’ Day”), the conflict shook the French Fourth Republic’s (1946–58) foundations and led to its collapse.”
The other links don’t work, but if you’d like a link to the page, here it is.
