A recent article in Paris Match revealed the relationship between Prix Goncourt 2018 winner, Nicolas Mathieu, known for being an author representing the working class, and Princess Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco. This news sparked controversy, with some fans accusing Mathieu of betraying his roots. In response to this, Laélia Véron, a professor at the University of Orléans, has co-authored a book with Karine Abiven, to be released in April, titled “Trahirs et Venger” (Betrayers and Avenging). The book explores the phenomenon of class traitors in literature, focusing on the paradox of their popularity despite being represented by only a few authors.
The concept of the “class traitor” is a sociological term used to describe upward social mobility, where individuals move from one social class to another. This term has become a part of common language in recent years, with individuals using it as an identity label to tell their own stories in first-person narratives that aim to rehabilitate their origins. The criteria for defining a class traitor are still debated in sociology, with questions about how far back to consider ancestry, as well as what resources to take into account – economic or cultural capital. Most well-known narratives describe ascension towards intellectual categories.
Some of the key figures in class traitor literature today include authors like Annie Ernaux, Didier Eribon, Edouard Louis, Rose-Marie Lagrave, and Nicolas Mathieu. While they all fall under the class traitor label, their backgrounds and experiences are diverse. Edouard Louis, for example, comes from a very precarious background, while Annie Ernaux grew up in a family of merchants, which some may view as already having experienced social upward mobility. Nicolas Mathieu, on the other hand, grew up in a middle-class family without serious financial issues. His book “Their Children After Them” is not autobiographical but a work of fiction, and Mathieu has a complex relationship with being labeled a class traitor, both rejecting and embracing it.
The authors of “Trahirs et Venger” delve into the ways in which class traitor narratives construct a vision of social ascent that may not align with current realities. These stories, based on self-reflection and personal experiences, capture the nuances of navigating different social classes while examining the impact of family background on individual trajectories. Class traitor literature has gained significant traction in recent years, resonating with readers who may see aspects of their own experiences reflected in these narratives. Despite the controversies and debates surrounding the concept, class traitor literature continues to be a significant and impactful genre in contemporary literary discourse.
