Éric Chevillard: Oreille rouge (2005)

Éric Chevillard's Oreille rouge is certainly a satire on the autobiographical travel book, but also on the mindlessness of tourism itself, the people who collect tourist tat and tick off the places they've visited. But more than that, it's an investigation into the psychology of tourists. Reality is filtered through self-consciousness: life is not so much lived as seen to be lived, the imperative being to expose yourself to be viewed as a kind of model. Inevitably, I'm reminded of the millions of selfies posted on social networks, the endless shots of people posing on the Great Wall of China, by the Statue of Liberty, Ayers Rock: 'Look at me, I've got a bit of money, aren't I wonderful?' Frankly, no, you're anything but.

Oreille rouge is named after his stay in Mali, where he to a certain extent got suntanned (well, his ears did) and where he has, as a writer, been invited to spend some time and write about his experiences. The novel is in three parts: the invitation and his reaction; the stay; and the effect after the return.

The first part is Oreille rouge's reactions and involve his refusal concerning the absurd invitation to go to Mali, and he invents endless excuses not to go there. It is of course largely a question of fear of the unknown, of not surviving in a strange country or continent, but Oreille rouge comes to see the necessity and finally can't refuse. There are many absurdities here, but then with Chevillard that is only to be expected.

So Oreille rouge arrives in Mali, is welcomed by a family, and his guide Toka is to lead him to the hippopotamuses he longs to see – well, hippos are an essential part of Africa, aren't they? So Toka teaches him all about them, their activities and when not to look for them (the dangerous mating season). Oreille rouge learns a great deal about hippos and other animals, is mad keen on writing the poem of Africa in his (probably fake) moleskin notebook. Mauvaise foi (in the Sartrean sense of self-deception) rules. Then Oreille rouge learns by accident that his guide Toka (like, say – Oreille rouge suggests – Stendhal's Fabrice del Dongo or Julein Sorel) has been lying to him, spinning him yarns about the existence of hippos, which Toka has probably never seen.

Finally Oreille rouge returns to France full of stories about the wonderful Mali, unable to prevent himself from adding numerous comments whenever Mali is mentioned, unable to mention Mali whenever it's not mentioned. He's an expert on, er, uncharted territory, and hates it when liars talk about their experiences of Africa, especially Mali. Oreille rouge is no tourist but a seasoned traveller, bringing back such items as a model elephant from Bamaka market: no tourist he!

My Éric Chevillard posts:
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Éric Chevillard: Oreille rouge | Red Ear (2005)
Éric Chevillard: L'Explosion de la tortue (2019)
Éric Chevillard: La Nébuleuse du crabe | The Crab Nebula (1993)
Éric Chevillard – Au plafond | On the Ceiling
Éric Chevillard: Le Désordre azerty
Éric Chevillard: Dino Egger
Éric Chevillard: Le Vaillant Petit Tailleur
Éric Chevillard: Le Caoutchouc décidément
Éric Chevillard: Palafox
Éric Chevillard: Un fantôme
Éric Chevillard: Du hérisson | Of the Hedgehog
Éric Chevillard: Démolir Nisard | Demolishing Nisard