Intrigued by a striking resemblance between certain behaviour, characteristics and preoccupations in characters from French literary texts, on the one hand, and in modern-day anorexics on the other, we have undertaken a study of representations of abnegation. In reading female ascetic piety, particularly in an extreme and sterile form known as “scrupulosity,” as it is seen in Madame Gervaisais, by the Goncourt Brothers, and in the representation of adolescence in L’Histoire de ma vie, by George Sand, I aim to explore similarities and differences between these two “conditions.” Next, certain texts by Zola, Vincent van Gogh and Simone de Beauvoir allow me to study a wide range of responses to the same questions as those which motivate anorexia nervosa and scrupulosity: questions of balance between the spiritual and the material, of perfectionism, of excessive obedience, of refusal of pleasure, and of a capacity for self-destruction. Paradoxically, all the “characters” studied here (including those “characters” created by means of autobiography or letter writing) are represented as possessing tendencies which define these two “conditions,” tendencies which are capable of leading either to extraordinary fulfilment, an unheard of creativity, or to self-destruction motivated by a desire for perfect virtue. Reading these texts in the light of anorexia nervosa allows new insights into them, in turn offering a new perspective on anorexia nervosa, suggesting its long involvement in the cultural history of Europe. / RESUME S'anéantir ou s'épanouir : avatars d'ascétisme anorexique dans la littérature française du XIXe au XXIe siècle Intriguée par une ressemblance frappante entre quantité de comportements, caractéristiques et préoccupations chez, d'une part, des personnages des textes littéraires français du XIXe siècle, et d'autre part chez les anorexiques modernes, nous avons entrepris d'examiner des représentations de l'abnégation. En lisant la piété féminine ascétique, surtout dans une forme stérile et extrême nommée « scrupule », telle qu'elle est montrée dans Madame Gervaisais, des frères Goncourt, et dans la représentation de l'adolescence dans L'Histoire de ma vie, de George Sand, je me donne pour but l'exploration des similarités et différences entre ces deux « conditions ». Ensuite, certains textes de Zola, de Vincent van Gogh, et de Simone de Beauvoir me permettent de scruter une variété de réponses aux mêmes questions qui motivent l'anorexie mentale et le scrupule : questions d'équilibre entre le spirituel et le matériel, de perfectionnisme, d'obéissance excessive, de refus du plaisir, et de capacité à s'anéantir. Paradoxalement, tous les « personnages » étudiés ici (y compris les « personnages » créés à travers l'autobiographie ou l'art épistolaire) sont représentés comme possédant des tendances qui définissent ces deux « conditions », tendances qui peuvent mener soit à un épanouissement extraordinaire, une créativité inouïe, soit à l’anéantissement de soi motivé par un désir de vertu parfaite. Lire ces textes en rapport avec l'anorexie mentale, c'est les considérer sous un jour nouveau, ce qui offre à son tour une nouvelle optique sur l'anorexie mentale, suggérant son imbrication de longue date dans l'histoire culturelle de l'Europe.

English Studies / M.A. (English)

All bodies of critical discourse on any given literary canon seek visibility through self- celebration, subversion of competing critical ideas and identification with supposedly popular, scientific and incisive critical theories. Thus, the literary-critical quest for significance and visibility is, in essence, a quest for „space‟, „voice‟ and „authority‟ in the discussion of aspects of a given literary corpus. This research explores the politics of „space‟, „voice‟ and „authority‟ in „white critical thought‟ on „the black Zimbabwean novel‟. It unfolds in the context of the realisation that as a body of critical discourse on „the black Zimbabwean novel‟, „white critical thought‟ does not only emerge in an intellectual matrix in which it shares and competes for „space‟, „voice‟ and „authority‟ with other bodies of critical thought on the literary episteme in question; it also develops in the ambit of Euro-African cultural politics of hegemony and resistance. Thus, the research sets out to identify the ways in which „white critical thought‟ affirms and perpetuates or questions and negates European critical benchmarks and cultural models in the discussion of selected aspects of „the black Zimbabwean novel‟. The investigation considers the fissures at the heart of „white critical thought‟ as a critical discourse and the myriad of ways in which it interacts with competing critical discourses on the „the black Zimbabwean novel‟. It derives impetus from the fact that while other versions of critical thought on „the black Zimbabwean novel‟ have received extensive metacritical discussion elsewhere, „white critical thought‟ remains largely under-discussed. This phenomenon enables it to solidify into a settled body of critical thought. The metacritical discussion of „white critical thought‟ in this research constitutes part of the repertoire of efforts that will help check the solidification of critical discourses into hegemonic bodies of thought. The research makes use of Afrocentric and Postcolonial critical tenets to advance the contention that while „white critical thought‟ on „the black Zimbabwean novel‟ is fraught with fissures and contradictions that speak directly to its complexity and resistance to neat categorisation, it is largely vulnerable to identification as part of the paraphernalia of European cultural and intellectual hegemony in African literature and its criticism, given its tendency to discuss the literature outside the context of critical theories that emerge from the same culture and history with the literary corpus in question. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

Sex-education in Canada has predominantly been informed by an abstinence-based content, leaving the sexual literacy of adolescents hanging in the balance. As public health statistics indicate, sexually transmitted infection, early and unwanted pregnancy, and rates of HIV/ AIDS are staggeringly high. At the center of these statistics is the young Black female, as they are disproportionately over-represented in negative public health statistics. Many factors have been theorized to be the cause; from socioeconomic factors to educational limitations, it has been historically concluded that the individual failings and class issues of Black women are the root cause of sexual decision making that causes negative health implications. However, adopting a critical perspective may lead to a different conclusion. This qualitative study sought to explore if the lack of comprehensive, racially attentive, and reflective sex-education as well as the influential societal discourse that shapes Black women and their sexuality in stereotypical lights, may have an impact on the sexual decision making of Black women. Through centering and highlighting the lived experiences, perspectives, and insights of a diverse pool of Black women, the stereotypes and scripts of Black femininity and sexuality, their root causes, and the impacts on young Black girl’s sexual decision making were captured to collaboratively redefine and reclaim Black femininity and sexuality while capturing what would be helpful to include in sex-education, specific to Black girls and women. This study’s theoretical underpinnings are Black Feminist Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Hip-Hop Feminism, which has been coined by me as “the trifecta”. A focus group with Black female-identified participants was conducted and facilitated through open-ended question and discussion based processes. Thematic analysis was adopted to explore themes, meanings and to gain a better understanding of the participant’s collective perspectives regarding sex-education and Black femininity and sexuality. The main finding of this study, based in the lived experiences and insights of the participants, were that harmful societal scripts and stereotypes about Black femininity and sexuality historically and as they are presented in popular media, coupled with inconsistent and bare sex education, has the ability to affect the sexual decision making of young Black girls in a way that feeds participation in unsafe sexual practices. This study fills gaps in literature because it contributes to the limited critical body of research that paramount the voices and insight of Black women in regards to sexual practice. This study also fills gaps by extending the conversation of Black women and sexual decision making, by suggesting tangible solutions of how the participant’s insights can be injected into larger policy and practice as well as social work research. The information supplied by the participants of this study will help social workers, policy makers, and educators create racially attentive, comprehensive, and accessible sex-education. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW) / Sex-education in Canada has predominantly been informed by an abstinence-based content, leaving the sexual literacy of adolescents hanging in the balance. As public health statistics indicate, sexually transmitted infection, early and unwanted pregnancy, and rates of HIV/ AIDS are staggeringly high. At the center of these statistics is the young Black female, as they are disproportionately over-represented in negative public health statistics. Many factors have been theorized to be the cause; from socioeconomic factors to educational limitations, it has been historically concluded that the individual failings and class issues of Black women are the root cause of sexual decision making that causes negative health implications. However, adopting a critical perspective may lead to a different conclusion. This qualitative study sought to explore if the lack of comprehensive, racially attentive, and reflective sex-education as well as the influential societal discourse that shapes Black women and their sexuality in stereotypical lights, may have an impact on the sexual decision making of Black women. Through centering and highlighting the lived experiences, perspectives, and insights of a diverse pool of Black women, the stereotypes and scripts of Black femininity and sexuality, their root causes, and the impacts on young Black girl’s sexual decision making were captured to collaboratively redefine and reclaim Black femininity and sexuality while capturing what would be helpful to include in sex-education, specific to Black girls and women. This study’s theoretical underpinnings are Black Feminist Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Hip-Hop Feminism, which has been coined by me as “the trifecta”. A focus group with Black female-identified participants was conducted and facilitated through open-ended question and discussion based processes. Thematic analysis was adopted to explore themes, meanings and to gain a better understanding of the participant’s collective perspectives regarding sex-education and Black femininity and sexuality. The main finding of this study, based in the lived experiences and insights of the participants, were that harmful societal scripts and stereotypes about Black femininity and sexuality historically and as they are presented in popular media, coupled with inconsistent and bare sex education, has the ability to affect the sexual decision making of young Black girls in a way that feeds participation in unsafe sexual practices. This study fills gaps in literature because it contributes to the limited critical body of research that paramount the voices and insight of Black women in regards to sexual practice. This study also fills gaps by extending the conversation of Black women and sexual decision making, by suggesting tangible solutions of how the participant’s insights can be injected into larger policy and practice as well as social work research. The information supplied by the participants of this study will help social workers, policy makers, and educators create racially attentive, comprehensive, and accessible sex-education.