Victory of individualism in André Gide’s novel "The Immoral"

Abstract EN

Andre Gide’s narrative works are characterized by the fact that they emphasize the theme of individualism of the fictional hero in a distinctive and provocative way.

It can be stated and confirmed that individualism is associated with the desire to possess the freedom of Gide's narrative characters.

This phenomenon has been repeated in many of Gide's works, such as The Pastoral Symphony, and Isabelle and the Immoral.

In Isabelle and the Immoral, individualism is about to be a morbid case which starts in Michel, the hero, directly after the death of his father who represented everything to him.

Unfortunately, this morbid feeling became strongly connected with him even after getting married.

It can be pointed out that Michel's feeling was mixed with his desire to obtain his absolute freedom; especially that he looked at his marriage to Marceline, the woman his father wanted him to marry without falling in love with her, as an obstacle which strongly pushed him towards freedom and individualism.

Inheriting money after the death of his father was one of the factors that made Michel enjoys individualism.

He looked at money as the means by which he can live his life as he wishes away from social and family restrictions.

Michel considers his conversation with Menalque as a good justification to realize his individualism, for he believes that everything is permissible for a human being to enjoy his freedom without paying attention to others.

Being inflicted with sickness, Michelle tasted life differently.

He began to realize the meaning of freedom when his health deteriorated.

Finally, Michel paid for his individualism; his caring wife died of infection after she took care of him, and he was left with no money, no morals, and above all, no animate friends to trust