Coupeurs de route et trauma. Une lecture des Démons de la route et six autres nouvelles de Clément Dili Palaï et de Silence, le Diable passe d’Assana Brahim

The highway robbers pose a real threat for public security in Africa. Face with the resurgence of attacks of these highwaymen who spread terror, the whole society is indexed. It is in this wake that African literature echoes this phenomenon. Clément Dili Palaï and Assana Brahim rise up against this scourge in their productions. This communication focuses on highway robbers and trauma that they provoke in the novels Les Démons de la route et six autres nouvelles and Silence, le Diable passe. By relying on the thematic approaches of Jean-Pierre Richard and pychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud, we draw up the ethopee of these highway robbers. Clément Dili Palaï and Assana Brahim paint them as authoritarian, violent and saidstic characters. These thugs have a modus operandi which consists of a surprise attack, lootin, kidnapping, rape, humiliation and to the murder of their victims. The trauma caused by their attacks are anguish and dread in Dili Palaï. In Assana Brahim, it’s more about rebellion. The two cameroonian novelists denounce the embezzlement of these brigands. They challenge society on the need to work together with law enforcement to fight them.