The thesis explores Marcel Proust’s À la Recherche du Temps Perdu and examines the narrator’s artistic and androgynous processes of becoming a writer and analyses how the combination of these two processes of “becoming” (artistic and androgynous) transforms the narrator into a writer. To examine these topics phenomenology was used as a meth-odological approach. Phenomenology is a method of inquiry that attempts to describe experiences as they are perceived and interpreted by human consciousness, as opposed to scientific description. The review of the critical literature provides a summary of various critics whose works have contributed to this thesis; it focuses on both Maurice Merleau-Ponty's and Sara Ahmed’s writings on the phenomenological perspectives, that serve to set up the predominant theoretical framework. The first chapter presents both the critical and theoretical concepts pertinent to this thesis. The second chapter describes the theoretical framework concentrating on phenomenology, and grants more attention to both Merleau-Ponty’s and Sara Ahmed’s theories. The third chapter analyses the narrator’s artistic evolution and his process of “becoming” a writer; his descriptions of experiences and associated sensations towards people and objects. Artistic works are preponderant in la Recherche where the three es-sential media: vision, sound, and prose are represented by: Elstir’s picture, Vinteuil’s Sep-tuor, and Bergotte and the narrator respectively. The fourth chapter examines the an-drogynous aspects of la Recherche in addition to the evolution of the narrator’s sexual identity; it evidences how his artistic evolution and his androgynous consciousness com- vii bined concurrently to transform the narrator in to "becoming" a writer. The fifth chapter analyzes Proust’s aesthetic conception and his eclecticism. Analogies to Nietzsche, Wag-ner, and Leibnitz are discussed. The thesis concludes with Proust’s precept that art, through intellect and sensations, provides a path towards spiritual life. The thesis aims to making Proust’s work more accessible, and enabling readers to thereby become more aware of their surroundings, and providing them with new perspectives on life. The thesis explores Marcel Proust’s À la Recherche du Temps Perdu and examines the narrator’s artistic and androgynous processes of becoming a writer and analyses how the combination of these two processes of “becoming” (artistic and androgynous) transforms the narrator into a writer. To examine these topics phenomenology was used as a meth-odological approach. Phenomenology is a method of inquiry that attempts to describe experiences as they are perceived and interpreted by human consciousness, as opposed to scientific description. The review of the critical literature provides a summary of various critics whose works have contributed to this thesis; it focuses on both Maurice Merleau-Ponty's and Sara Ahmed’s writings on the phenomenological perspectives, that serve to set up the predominant theoretical framework. The first chapter presents both the critical and theoretical concepts pertinent to this thesis. The second chapter describes the theoretical framework concentrating on phenomenology, and grants more attention to both Merleau-Ponty’s and Sara Ahmed’s theories. The third chapter analyses the narrator’s artistic evolution and his process of “becoming” a writer; his descriptions of experiences and associated sensations towards people and objects. Artistic works are preponderant in la Recherche where the three es-sential media: vision, sound, and prose are represented by: Elstir’s picture, Vinteuil’s Sep-tuor, and Bergotte and the narrator respectively. The fourth chapter examines the an-drogynous aspects of la Recherche in addition to the evolution of the narrator’s sexual identity; it evidences how his artistic evolution and his androgynous consciousness com- vii bined concurrently to transform the narrator in to "becoming" a writer. The fifth chapter analyzes Proust’s aesthetic conception and his eclecticism. Analogies to Nietzsche, Wag-ner, and Leibnitz are discussed. The thesis concludes with Proust’s precept that art, through intellect and sensations, provides a path towards spiritual life. The thesis aims to making Proust’s work more accessible, and enabling readers to thereby become more aware of their surroundings, and providing them with new perspectives on life. The thesis explores Marcel Proust’s À la Recherche du Temps Perdu and examines the narrator’s artistic and androgynous processes of becoming a writer and analyses how the combination of these two processes of “becoming” (artistic and androgynous) transforms the narrator into a writer. To examine these topics phenomenology was used as a meth-odological approach. Phenomenology is a method of inquiry that attempts to describe experiences as they are perceived and interpreted by human consciousness, as opposed to scientific description. The review of the critical literature provides a summary of various critics whose works have contributed to this thesis; it focuses on both Maurice Merleau-Ponty's and Sara Ahmed’s writings on the phenomenological perspectives, that serve to set up the predominant theoretical framework. The first chapter presents both the critical and theoretical concepts pertinent to this thesis. The second chapter describes the theoretical framework concentrating on phenomenology, and grants more attention to both Merleau-Ponty’s and Sara Ahmed’s theories. The third chapter analyses the narrator’s artistic evolution and his process of “becoming” a writer; his descriptions of experiences and associated sensations towards people and objects. Artistic works are preponderant in la Recherche where the three es-sential media: vision, sound, and prose are represented by: Elstir’s picture, Vinteuil’s Sep-tuor, and Bergotte and the narrator respectively. The fourth chapter examines the an-drogynous aspects of la Recherche in addition to the evolution of the narrator’s sexual identity; it evidences how his artistic evolution and his androgynous consciousness com- vii bined concurrently to transform the narrator in to "becoming" a writer. The fifth chapter analyzes Proust’s aesthetic conception and his eclecticism. Analogies to Nietzsche, Wag-ner, and Leibnitz are discussed. The thesis concludes with Proust’s precept that art, through intellect and sensations, provides a path towards spiritual life. The thesis aims to making Proust’s work more accessible, and enabling readers to thereby become more aware of their surroundings, and providing them with new perspectives on life. The thesis explores Marcel Proust’s À la Recherche du Temps Perdu and examines the narrator’s artistic and androgynous processes of becoming a writer and analyses how the combination of these two processes of “becoming” (artistic and androgynous) transforms the narrator into a writer. To examine these topics phenomenology was used as a meth-odological approach. Phenomenology is a method of inquiry that attempts to describe experiences as they are perceived and interpreted by human consciousness, as opposed to scientific description. The review of the critical literature provides a summary of various critics whose works have contributed to this thesis; it focuses on both Maurice Merleau-Ponty's and Sara Ahmed’s writings on the phenomenological perspectives, that serve to set up the predominant theoretical framework. The first chapter presents both the critical and theoretical concepts pertinent to this thesis. The second chapter describes the theoretical framework concentrating on phenomenology, and grants more attention to both Merleau-Ponty’s and Sara Ahmed’s theories. The third chapter analyses the narrator’s artistic evolution and his process of “becoming” a writer; his descriptions of experiences and associated sensations towards people and objects. Artistic works are preponderant in la Recherche where the three essential media: vision, sound, and prose are represented by: Elstir’s picture, Vinteuil’s Septuor, and Bergotte and the narrator respectively. The fourth chapter examines the androgynous aspects of la Recherche in addition to the evolution of the narrator’s sexual identity; it evidences how his artistic evolution and his androgynous consciousness combined concurrently to transform the narrator in to "becoming" a writer. The fifth chapter analyzes Proust’s aesthetic conception and his eclecticism. Analogies to Nietzsche, Wagner, and Leibniz are discussed. The thesis concludes with Proust’s precept that art, through intellect and sensations, provides a path towards spiritual life. The thesis aims to making Proust’s work more accessible, and enabling readers to thereby become more aware of their surroundings, and providing them with new perspectives on life. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The thesis explores Marcel Proust’s À la Recherche du Temps perdu and examines the narrator’s artistic evolution of becoming a writer through his descriptions of his experiences and associated sensations. The thesis is divided into three sections: the first focuses on the narrator’s artistic life, the second is dedicated to his sexual identity, and evidence how they concurrently transform the narrator into becoming a writer. The third section explores Proust’s aesthetics and his conception that art provides a path towards a spiritual life. The thesis aims to render Proust’s work more accessible, thereby enabling others to be more sensitive to their surroundings, and provide new perspectives on life. Research was conducted through McMaster University Library and the internet.

Dans ce travail de thèse, la photoionisation en couche K d’ions multichargés a été étudiée ainsi que la photoionisation en couche de valence d’ions atomiques et de petits ions moléculaires. Les sections efficaces de photoionisation en couche K ont été mesurées pour les ions de la série iso-nucléaire de l’azote, de N+ à N4+, en utilisant le montage de faisceaux ion-photon colinéaires, et la photoionisation en couche de valence des ions Xe+ et Kr+ et des petits ions moléculaires CO2+ et N2+ en utilisant à la fois la technique de faisceaux colinéaires et un piége à ions . Toutes les expériences ont utilisé le rayonnement synchrotron émis par l’anneau de stockage SOLEIL à Saint-Aubin, France. La combinaison des deux techniques permet la mesure sur une échelle absolue des sections efficaces de photoionisation des ions dans l'état fondamental pur.Les sections efficaces expérimentales de photoionisation en couche K sont comparées aux résultats théoriques existants utilisant différentes méthodes : Multi-Configuration Dirac–Fock (MCDF), R-matrice et la Constante d’Ecran par Unité de charge Nucléaire (SCUNC). L’interaction entre l’expérience et la théorie a permis l’identification et la caractérisation des résonances 1s→2p et 1s→3p observées dans les spectres. Les sections efficaces expérimentales de photoionisation en couche de valence mesurées pour les ions Xe+ et Kr+ ont été comparées aux résultats de calculs MCDF obtenus pour le processus de photoionisation directe.La qualité des mesures absolues de section efficace utilisant la technique de faisceaux colinéaires est fortement dépendante de la performance de la source d’ions ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance). Afin d'améliorer le courant d'ions dans la région d'interaction, différents systèmes d'extraction des ions à deux et trois électrodes ont été simulés en utilisant les programmes ECRopt et IGUN. / In this thesis work, the K-shell photoionization of multi-charged ions has been studied as well as the valence photoionization of atomic and small molecular ions. The K-shell photoionization cross sections were measured for nitrogen iso-nuclear series, from N+ to N4+ ions using the ion–photon merged beam technique and the valence photoionization cross sections for Xe+ and Kr+ ions and the small molecular ions CO_2^+ and N_2^+ using both the merged beam and ion trap techniques at the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility in Saint–Aubin, France. Combination of the two techniques allows for the measurement of the pure ground state ionization cross section on an absolute scale.The experimental K-shell photoionization cross sections are compared with theoretical results obtained from the multi-configuration Dirac–Fock (MCDF), R-matrix and the Screening Constant by Unit Nuclear Charge (SCUNC) methods. The interplay between experiment and theory enables the identification and characterization of the strong 1s→2p and 1s→3p resonances observed in the spectra. The experimental valence photoionization cross sections for Xe+ and Kr+ ions are compared with MCDF calculations results obtained for the direct photoionization process. The quality of the absolute cross section measurements using the merged beam techniques is strongly dependent on the performance of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS). In order to improve the current of ions in the interaction region, the ions extraction system and transport was simulated by using IGUN program and ECRopt.

In this thesis work, the K-shell photoionization of multi-charged ions has been studied as well as the valence photoionization of atomic and small molecular ions. The K-shell photoionization cross sections were measured for nitrogen iso-nuclear series, from N+ to N4+ ions using the ion-photon merged beam technique and the valence photoionization cross sections for Xe+ and Kr+ ions and the small molecular ions CO_2^+ and N_2^+ using both the merged beam and ion trap techniques at the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility in Saint-Aubin, France. Combination of the two techniques allows for the measurement of the pure ground state ionization cross section on an absolute scale.The experimental K-shell photoionization cross sections are compared with theoretical results obtained from the multi-configuration Dirac-Fock (MCDF), R-matrix and the Screening Constant by Unit Nuclear Charge (SCUNC) methods. The interplay between experiment and theory enables the identification and characterization of the strong 1s→2p and 1s→3p resonances observed in the spectra. The experimental valence photoionization cross sections for Xe+ and Kr+ ions are compared with MCDF calculations results obtained for the direct photoionization process. The quality of the absolute cross section measurements using the merged beam techniques is strongly dependent on the performance of Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS). In order to improve the current of ions in the interaction region, the ions extraction system and transport was simulated by using IGUN program and ECRopt.