The Golden Fruits by Nathalie Sarraute
"The Golden Fruits" by Nathalie Sarraute is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the dynamics of a literary circle engaged in a discussion about artistic value and critical judgment. The narrative begins with the members of the group examining a postcard reproduction of a Courbet painting, which ignites a debate on the nature of appreciation and authenticity in art. While most affirm the painting's worth, one member's refusal to engage sparks tension, highlighting issues of conformity and individual dissent within the group.
As the conversation shifts to the novel itself, varying opinions emerge, with many participants adhering to established critical standards while a lone dissenter advocates for a more personal, emotional response to art. This dissent challenges the group's consensus and reflects Sarraute's exploration of the conflict between collective judgment and individual feeling. The novel ultimately raises questions about the nature of value in art, the pressure of social conformity, and the authenticity of personal experience, making it a significant work for those interested in literary criticism and the complexities of artistic appreciation.
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The Golden Fruits by Nathalie Sarraute
First published:Les Fruits d’or, 1963 (English translation, 1964)
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Metafiction
Time of plot: Probably mid-twentieth century
Locale: Paris
Principal characters
Members of a literary circle
The Story:
A literary circle is meeting to discuss a novel called The Golden Fruits. The members of the group pride themselves on their artistic expertise, both for visual and for written works, and on their critical acumen. One member takes a postcard reproduction of a Gustave Courbet painting from his vest pocket and passes it among the members to gauge their opinions on the postcard’s value. Everyone, with the exception of one man, looks at the reproduction and affirms its artistic worth, reenforcing the possessor’s sense of expertise and sound critical judgment. However, one person passes the reproduction on without even glancing at it, devastating the man who owns the postcard.
A conversation ensues between the man who ignored the reproduction and the person to whom he passed it. Accused of impoliteness, of causing agony to the possessor, the man defends his right not to enter into the foolish charade of admiration. He feels that the Courbet is familiar to everyone in the circle and insists that they all probably have one just like it themselves. He adds that the possessor of the reproduction had not discovered anything unique, nor had he shared some sort of secret. The other person continues to blame the man for refusing to interact in the fraternity of the group.
The conversation then passes to the discussion of The Golden Fruits. The person who had been appalled by the other man’s rudeness makes a gesture toward the rebuffed postcard owner by asking his opinion of the literary work. He admits, however, to the man who failed to look at the postcard that he has no real interest in the other’s opinion but is trying to draw him back into the circle.
The discussion continues, as opinions about the novel’s value vary; finally, most reject it as having no real value. As they do so they cite certain well-respected critics; they make comparisons to well-received writers of the past who are regarded as masters of their craft. They hedge and twist, protecting themselves from revealing an opinion not shared by the group; they fence and think about how to voice the right criticism. They suffer physically as they attempt to be of the right opinion. They cite articles by prominent critics and display their knowledge of major authors of the past.
Finally, one member of the group voices a dissenting opinion: He likes The Golden Fruits. He insists upon ignoring the established standards of criticism and bases his evaluation on his reaction to the work. For him, a work of art is validated and authentic if it elicits a response in the reader or the viewer. The dissenter then admits that from the standpoint of the established criteria of criticism, he is stupid, that he is an idiot because he has responded to the text as he has read it. The others are shocked by his statement and then withdraw from him.
One member after another then attempts to excuse his error, to forgive him his deviant judgment. They reiterate their solidarity as a group; they all hold the same opinion. They maintain that he has merely suffered a lapse of judgment. They try to integrate him once again into the circle, but he refuses and then distances himself even further; for him, The Golden Fruits is a valuable work. It is more important to him than the literary circle.
Bibliography
Barbour, Sarah. Nathalie Sarraute and the Feminist Reader: Identities in Process. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 1993. A feminist analysis of Sarraute’s work, including The Golden Fruits.
Jefferson, Ann. Nathalie Sarraute, Fiction and Theory: Questions of Difference. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. A good examination of Sarraute’s concept of the novel and her ideas on reading and on how traditional criticism blocks the reader’s contact with the text. Discusses Sarraute’s belief that sharing one’s reading experience can be a valid form of criticism.
Minogue, Valerie. Nathalie Sarraute and the War of Words: A Study of Five Novels. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1981. Gives important insights into Sarraute’s use of language and into the power of language in her work and in contact between individuals.
O’Beirne, Emer. Reading Nathalie Sarraute: Dialogue and Distance. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. An overview of Sarraute’s prose writing as it moves from a primary concern with reader response to a self-sufficient internal dialogue lacking an authorial voice. Also discusses the interrelationship of language, experience, and text as well as the contact of the reader with the text and the relationship of the writer to the reader. Includes a good index.
Sarraute, Nathalie. The Age of Suspicion: Essays on the Novel. Translated by Maria Jolas. 1963. First paperback ed. New York: George Braziller, 1990. The essays contain Sarraute’s basic ideas and concepts regarding writing and her quest to find a style of her own. Very useful for understanding the deliberate lack of plot and traditional character development in The Golden Fruits.
Willging, Jennifer. Telling Anxiety: Anxious Narration in the Work of Marguerite Duras, Annie Ernaux, Nathalie Sarraute, and Anne Hébert. Toronto, Ont.: University of Toronto Press, 2007. Does not discuss TheGolden Fruits but analyzes Sarraute’s distrust of language’s ability to express phenomena other than those that are linguistic. Also sees her work as reflecting a fear shared by the four writers.