SOURCE: Madden, Marilyn I. “Imagery in Giono's Novels, with Special Consideration of La Naissance de l'Odyssée.” French Review 46 (1973): 522-34.

In the following essay, Madden makes a statistical analysis of the nature of the imagery in La Naissance de l'Odyssée.

Jean Giono's greatest originality as a novelist lies in his incorporation into his novels of the poetic device of imagery. This is a device especially suited to his earlier works, which are mostly concerned with the creation of an atmosphere, or perhaps even of a world view. It is a device which he has exploited to a greater extent than other novelists, and it is primarily due to this device that he holds his place in French literature. The general characteristics of Giono's imagery have been revealed, especially by Charlotte Dietschy and Stephen Ullmann.¹ The most salient of these is the use of imagery in order to...