28th Annual Student Research Conference
Simone de Beauvoir and Le Deuxième Sexe
Chelsea K. Wagschal
Dr. Betty McLane-Iles, Faculty Mentor
Le Deuxième Sexe by Simone de Beauvoir is regarded a philosophical nonfiction exploration of the condition of women. Her novel is internationally praised by women and feminists, however it is not without its critics. Simone de Beauvoir always lived against the grains of society. Though brought up in a religious bourgeoisie family, she lived her life searching for knowledge and ignoring traditional gender roles. Using her personal memoirs and autobiographical novels, this paper will focus on the life of Simone de Beauvoir leading up to Le Deuxième Sexe. Moreover, it will explore how her past and intellectual prowess helped to shape her interpretations of the world and of feminism. It will also review some of the main ideas of the work and dissect the different criticisms since written on Le Deuxième Sexe to better comprehend the issues during its release as well as how it reflects society today.
Keywords: Feminism, France, Literary Criticism, Simone de Beauvoir, Le Deuxième Sexe, Women's Rights
Topic(s):French Capstone
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 501-4
Location: VH 1320
Time: 3:45