Mohammed Dib Algerian novelist

1. Mohammed DibMohammed Dib
Algerian novelistAlgerian novelistABDELHAY AFFOUNABDELHAY AFFOUN

2. Table of contentsTable of contents
• IntroductionIntroduction
• HIS LifeHIS Life
• His worksHis works
• BOOKS OF POETRYBOOKS OF POETRY
• AwardsAwards
• ReferencesReferences
•
•
•

3. IntroductionIntroduction
Mohammed Dib, (born July 21, 1920, Tlemcen, Algeria—Mohammed Dib, (born July 21, 1920, Tlemcen, Algeria—
died May 2, 2003, La Celle-Saint-Cloud, France), Algeriandied May 2, 2003, La Celle-Saint-Cloud, France), Algerian
novelist, poet, and playwright, known for his early trilogynovelist, poet, and playwright, known for his early trilogy
on Algeria, La Grande Maison (1952; “The Big House”),on Algeria, La Grande Maison (1952; “The Big House”),
L’Incendie (1954; “The Fire”), and Le Métier à tisserL’Incendie (1954; “The Fire”), and Le Métier à tisser
(1957; “The Loom”), in which he described the Algerian(1957; “The Loom”), in which he described the Algerian
people’s awakening to self-consciousness and to thepeople’s awakening to self-consciousness and to the
impending struggle for independence that began in 1954.impending struggle for independence that began in 1954.
The trilogy recounts the years 1938–42.The trilogy recounts the years 1938–42.

4. HIS LifeHIS Life
Mohammed Dib was born in Tlemcen in western Algeria.Mohammed Dib was born in Tlemcen in western Algeria.
He never attended the traditional Koranic school but wasHe never attended the traditional Koranic school but was
raised as a Muslim. He began to write poems at the age ofraised as a Muslim. He began to write poems at the age of
fifteen. Between the years 1939 and 1959, he worked oddfifteen. Between the years 1939 and 1959, he worked odd
jobs (teacher, accountant, weaver, interpreter, andjobs (teacher, accountant, weaver, interpreter, and
journalist. In 1959 he moved to France, where he becamejournalist. In 1959 he moved to France, where he became
known as a member of the group “Generation of ‘52” theknown as a member of the group “Generation of ‘52” the
year when Dib and Mouloud Mammeri’s work firstyear when Dib and Mouloud Mammeri’s work first
appeared.appeared.

5. In 1952, two years before theIn 1952, two years before the Algerian revolutionAlgerian revolution , he married a French woman, joined the, he married a French woman, joined the Algerian Communist PartyAlgerian Communist Party and visited France. In the sameand visited France. In the same
year he published his first novelyear he published his first novel La Grande MaisonLa Grande Maison (The Great House). Dib was a member of the(The Great House). Dib was a member of the Generation of '52Generation of '52 — a group of Algerian writers which— a group of Algerian writers which
includedincluded Albert CamusAlbert Camus andand MouloudMouloud FeraounFeraoun ..

6. In 1959, he was expelled from Algeria by the French authorities for his support for Algerian independence, and also because of the success of his novels (which depicted the reality of life inIn 1959, he was expelled from Algeria by the French authorities for his support for Algerian independence, and also because of the success of his novels (which depicted the reality of life in
colonial Algeria for most Algerians). Instead of moving tocolonial Algeria for most Algerians). Instead of moving to CairoCairo as many Algerian nationalists had, he decided to live in France, where he was allowed to stay after various writers (includingas many Algerian nationalists had, he decided to live in France, where he was allowed to stay after various writers (including
Camus) lobbied the French government. From 1967 he lived mainly inCamus) lobbied the French government. From 1967 he lived mainly in La Celle-Saint-CloudLa Celle-Saint-Cloud nearnear ParisParis ..

7. From 1976-1977 Dib was teacher at the University of California at Los Angeles. He also was a professor at the Sorbonne in Paris. In his later years he often travelled to Finland, which was aFrom 1976-1977 Dib was teacher at the University of California at Los Angeles. He also was a professor at the Sorbonne in Paris. In his later years he often travelled to Finland, which was a
setting for some of his later novels. He died at La Celle-Saint-Cloud on 2 May 2003. In a tribute, the then French Culture Minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon said that Dib was "a spiritual bridgesetting for some of his later novels. He died at La Celle-Saint-Cloud on 2 May 2003. In a tribute, the then French Culture Minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon said that Dib was "a spiritual bridge
between Algeria and France, between the north and the Mediterranean."between Algeria and France, between the north and the Mediterranean."

8. His worksHis works
His debut work was the novel La grande maison, publishedHis debut work was the novel La grande maison, published
two years before the outbreak of the Algerian revolution.two years before the outbreak of the Algerian revolution.
Other works followed, including L’Incendie (1954), andOther works followed, including L’Incendie (1954), and
Qui se souvient de la mer (1962), which has beenQui se souvient de la mer (1962), which has been
published in English as Who Remembers the Sea. Beforepublished in English as Who Remembers the Sea. Before
his death in 2003, he had published some 35 books, whichhis death in 2003, he had published some 35 books, which
have been translated into many languages.have been translated into many languages.

9. Dib’s later novels, apart from Un Été africain (1959; “An African Summer”), which retains the realistic mode of expression in his description of a people in revolt, are marked by the use of symbol, myth, allegory, and fantasy to portray the French colonial repression ofDib’s later novels, apart from Un Été africain (1959; “An African Summer”), which retains the realistic mode of expression in his description of a people in revolt, are marked by the use of symbol, myth, allegory, and fantasy to portray the French colonial repression of
the Algerian people, the search for the authentic expression of an Algerian personality, the war for independence and its effects, the new Algeria after independence and the struggle of the technocrats for control, and the plight of the Algerian emigrant worker in France.the Algerian people, the search for the authentic expression of an Algerian personality, the war for independence and its effects, the new Algeria after independence and the struggle of the technocrats for control, and the plight of the Algerian emigrant worker in France.

10. BOOKS OF POETRYBOOKS OF POETRY
Ombre gardienneOmbre gardienne (Paris: Éditions Gallimard,(Paris: Éditions Gallimard,
1961);1961); FormulairesFormulaires (Paris: Éditions du Seuil,(Paris: Éditions du Seuil,
1970);1970); OmnerosOmneros (Paris: Éditions du Seuil,(Paris: Éditions du Seuil,
1975);1975); Feu beau feuFeu beau feu (Paris: Éditions du Seuil,(Paris: Éditions du Seuil,
1979; reprinted by Paris: Éditions de la1979; reprinted by Paris: Éditions de la
Différence, 2001);Différence, 2001); Ô viveÔ vive (Paris: Éditions(Paris: Éditions
Sindbad, 1987);Sindbad, 1987); L'Aube, IsmaëlL'Aube, Ismaël (Éditions Tassili,(Éditions Tassili,
1996);1996); L'Enfant-jazzL'Enfant-jazz (Paris: Éditions de la(Paris: Éditions de la
Différence, 1998); LeDifférence, 1998); Le Cœr insulaireCœr insulaire (Paris:(Paris:
Éditions de la Différence, 2000);Éditions de la Différence, 2000); L.A.L.A.
TripTrip (Paris: Éditions de la Différence, 2003;(Paris: Éditions de la Différence, 2003;
bilingual edition, Los Angeles: Green Integer:bilingual edition, Los Angeles: Green Integer:
2003)2003)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATIONS
Omneros [with Formulaires], trans. by
Carol Lettieri and Paul Vangelisti (Los
Angeles: Red Hill Press, 1978); Omneros,
trans. by Carol Lettieri and Paul Vangelisti
(Los Angeles: Seeing Eye Books, 1997);
L. A. Trip, trans. by Paul Vangelisti (Los
Angeles: Green Integer, 2003)

11. AwardsAwards
• 1953 1953 Fénéon PrizeFénéon Prize
• 1998 1998 Mallarmé prizeMallarmé prize

12. ReferencesReferences
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mohammed-Dibhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Mohammed-Dib
• http://pippoetry.blogspot.com/2008/12/mohammed-dib.htmlhttp://pippoetry.blogspot.com/2008/12/mohammed-dib.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Dibhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Dib

13. ThankThank
YouYou
For your attentionFor your attention