Labyrinthine Literature between Text and Sex in Journal sexuel d'un garçon d'aujourd’hui by Arthur Dreyfus

Abstract

In Journal sexuel d’un garçon d’aujourd'hui, Arthur Dreyfus records his sexual experiences over several years. But he doesn’t limit himself to recounting his sexual intimacy; he also writes down some of his thoughts on other areas, such as relationships, writing and psychoanalysis. He generally proceeds in short narratives that can take different forms (anecdotes, poems, letters...) and are brought together to form a work of over 2000 pages. The reader is thus led into the author’s systems of thought. The aim of this article is to highlight the labyrinthine construction of this work: first, we’ll see how the Journal is the result of a search for identity. Next, we’ll look at how this work proposes a new form of intertextuality. Finally, we look at the form of the Journal and its impact on the reader. In this way, we offer the first keys to reading a complex but powerful work.