Why Ben Jelloun Wrote in French |
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| Born in Fez, Morocco; Tahar Ben Jelloun learned Arabic as his first language. As a result of the colonization of Morocco by France, Arabic and French were taught in the schools he attended. Because schools taught both languages, Ben Jelloun mastered French in addition to Arabic. After graduating from Rabat University, he taught High School, then moved to Paris in 1971 to earn his doctorate in Psychiatry. Although Ben Jelloun has a profound respect for Arabic, ?Arabic is a beautiful language, very strong and solid. It is not an easy language to twist?, as he began writing, he chose to use French (Spear 5). ?Arabic is the language that?s linked to my childhood, my family, that doesn?t mean that I can create a work of literature with it. It?s not possible. So it?s out of respect for Arabic that I choose to write in the language that I?ve mastered the best? (Ben Jelloun 1). He also states, ?The fact that I do not use the language of my people perhaps means that I can take liberties with certain themes which the Arbic language of the Qur?an ? which naturally intimidates me ? would not alow me to take? (Unesco Courier 1). Another reason Ben Jelloun chooses to write in French is the state of the Arabic press in Morocco. He says, ?Arab publishing is in such a mess today that so far I haven?t found my public in the Arab world. Piracy or unauthorized reproduction is doing terrible harm. The pirates not only steal translations, they tamper with them so that your work is distorted and your relationship with the public is perverted. Not to mention countries where books are purely and simply banned because of an occasional erotic of political allusion? (Unesco Courier 2). Although the French imposed their language on the Moroccans, Ben Jelloun feels no need to complain about it, ?We write in French because (the colonization) happened that way, but let?s try to get the most out of it for everyone? (Ben Jelloun 2). Ben Jelloun didn?t want to perpetuate the violence against colonization, so instead of rebelling violently, he chose to express himself in the language he knew best. Even though Ben Jelloun writes his texts initially in French, when he travels to other countries, he is not identified as a French author. This is because his works have been translated into twenty-two different languages. Other nations read his translated text, thus it is arbitrary what language he originally wrote in. The message of his works supersedes the language and he is received as a Moroccan author. "Tahar Ben Jelloun- Morrocan Author- Interview." UNESO Courier August-Sept, 1991. Jelloun, Tahar Ben. "A Conversation with Tahar Ben Jelloun- Toward a World Literature." Middle East Report 163(1990): 30-33. Spear, Thomas. "Politics and Literature: An Interview with Tahar Ben Jelloun." Yale French Studies 83(1993): 30-43 Photo Courtesy of: www.taharbenjelloun.org |
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