A Lacanian Elucidation of Sartre
in Sartre Studies International
In their 1971 interview with Sartre concerning L’Idiot de la famille, Michel Contat and Michel Rybalka asked him: ‘Aren’t you a little afraid of the idea that someone might try to elucidate you as you did Flaubert?’ Sartre answered calmly, ‘On the contrary, I would be happy. Like all writers, I hide. But I am also a public man and people can think what they like about me, even if it is severe.’1 My project of ‘elucidation’ thus has his complete approval.