It is one of the most noted literary prizes. Awarded by high school students, it introduces young readers to contemporary literature, sparks debate between high school students and with writers. But this year, the 37th edition of the Goncourt des lycéens is also making headlines following parental concerns about a book in competition: The Lost Children’s Club by Rebecca Lighieri (POL) which subjects its readers to explicitly sexual scenes.
► How is the Goncourt for high school students organized?
53 high schools, more than two thousand young people. From the first selection of books made by the Goncourt Academy, second, first or final year students can read the 14 novels (Gaël Faye and Carole Martinez, already winners of the Goncourt high school students being excluded from the list), discuss them , express their choice. From October 7 to 17, the high school students were even able to debate with the authors in Toulouse, Paris, Strasbourg, Rennes… One delegate per region will participate in Rennes on Thursday, November 28 in the deliberations, which will designate the winner of the 2024 high school Goncourt.
Still in the selection, The Lost Children’s Club could he still win the 2024 Goncourt for high school students? It’s unlikely, but high school students remain free to make their own choices and demonstrate maturity. Didn’t they choose, last year, sad tiger by Neige Sinno (POL), the moving story of incest experienced for years? A book that had already aroused a lot of emotion.
► Where does the controversy come from?
Parents, undoubtedly as curious about literature as their child, read certain books from the selection, including the novel by Rebecca Lighieri. In a 500-page book, the author describes unvarnished the life of a teenager – Miranda – with her parents, fans of unbridled sexuality. The licentious pages shocked, like the tone of the novel and also the suicide of the heroine, to the point that several associations were outraged. SOS Education, of conservative sensibility, expressed concern to the Prime Minister, denouncing “a book with pornographic and psychologically dangerous content. (…) Such a book placed in the hands (of a high school student) by national education consists of a form of moral guarantee that he will understand as a deaf and unhealthy initiation. »
In turn, the Catholic Family Associations (AFC) alert their members in a brief press release: “It appears that one of the works proposed this year describes pornographic and incestuous scenes and ends with a suicide. It is unacceptable to suggest reading it to young minors. » And some referring to the penal code, article 227-24: “The fact of disseminating by any means a pornographic message (…) is punishable by three years’ imprisonment and a fine of €75,000 when this message is likely to be seen or perceived by a minor. »
► What is the author’s intention?
“My book raises questions, it can be disturbing. I didn’t write it for young people, but thinking of today’s generation, sacrificed, confined”confides Rebecca Lighieri to The Cross. The author, who has already been distinguished under her real name Emmanuelle Bayamack-Tam, by the Inter and Medici book prizes, wanted to evoke this generational clash, between parents preoccupied with pleasure and their daughter who experiences limits, multiply the experiences.
“Scenes with sexual content – which are without violence, always consensual – are part of my characters. But I can understand parents who are attentive to their child’s reception of my text. The fact remains that no one is obliged to read it. » And the writer invites dialogue, perhaps based on her book, even though we are observing a deterioration in mental health among young people, which implicitly underlies the entire work.
As for the publisher, who does not wish to enter into controversy, he recognizes that it is a dark book, difficult, but true, in the sense that it highlights the depression of young people. Furthermore, there is no comparison, according to him, between pages of literature, even crude ones, and porn videos which we know are widely viewed by adolescents.
► What support for high school students?
Being part of the selection for the Goncourt Prize, the incriminated book was de facto in the list of works offered to high school students. Not just any young people: those who are in one of the selected classes, with discussion times included in the timetable in French classes, it is up to the teacher to create the debate.
When asked, the Ministry of National Education said “fully attentive and aware of the concerns that may be expressed with regard to certain novels, but ensures that, each year, the support of students by the educational teams aims to establish for them the best possible conditions of participation in the Goncourt prize for high school students.
In practice, some teachers regret that a warning was not attached to the work. “Teachers, parents, high school students do not understand that no precautionary measures were taken in advance and that young minors can access pornography in a school setting”reacts a French teacher.
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