The ‘decline of the West’ in contemporary French literature

摘要

Contemporary French literature has expressed accurately the sense of alienation from the values of Western modernity. Out of contemporary French novels arises a sense of despair over cultural relativism, the poor quality of education and the decline of religious values. Nevertheless, such a critique should not serve as an excuse for individuals and groups to turn inward. Instead, a reassertion of Western identity and a revitalising of public democratic space can lead to a re-energising of modern society as the arena for the fulfilment of individual and collective goals.