Lawless Exuberance: Céline and Roth

Abstract: What did Philip Roth mean when he announced in a 1984 interview that “My Proust is Céline?” Could he have meant that the anti-Semite, collaborator, criminal, and disgraced writer triumphed over Proust in literary, thematic, and even moral purpose? If so, how? This paper investigates the origins of Roth’s statement, his reading of Céline through Kristeva’s concept of abjection, and his incorporation of Célinesque elements in his fiction and criticism, notably in his short story, “On the Air” (1970). Céline essentially permitted Roth to embrace transgression, which, in turn, allowed Roth to expand his candid writing about topics that violated social and sexual norms in America of the late sixties and beyond. Roth successfully avoided the negative aspects of Céline by deciding to celebrate his language and style rather than admit his failings. He effectively separated the literary from the political and overlooked how race determined Céline’s poetics. Ironically, Roth’s acceptance of Céline reflected some of his own values: directness, clarity of purpose, and descriptive detail. This literary approach allowed Roth to suspend his “Jewish conscience” in his reading and writing practices and understanding of literary inheritance.