Bakhita ou qu’y a-t-il dans un nom ? – dynamique de la reconstruction identitaire à travers le travail du souvenir

Bakhita or what’s in a name? – the dynamics of identity reconstruction throughout memory work

The article focuses on the analysis of various aspects concerning the functions of name in Véronique Olmi’s recent novel Bakhita (2017). How can identity be reconstructed after the loss of the name and, more important, after the devastating experience of modern slavery? How relevant is the memory work in putting together the self and what are the literary techniques that the writer uses in constructing the novel? What are the limits of words and language in rendering Bakhita’s Harrowing to Hell and her Redemption?

Keywords: contemporary French literature, name, identity, alterity, memory, language, Bakhita