Pierre Michon and the heteronomy of contemporary literature

The first part of this study raises the question of the frontier between literature and non-literature based on a recent research conducted by sociologist Bernard Lahire (La Condition litteraire. La double vie des ecrivains). While defending the autonomy of literature, contemporary writers, as Lahire demonstrates, share a vision that goes way beyond aesthetic questions. The second part of this study illustrates this vision with the example of Pierre Michon's "Propos sur la litterature" (Le roi vient quand il veut). Michon insists on the avant-garde's heritage and opposes the invasion of publicity and non-literature inside literature's domain. For him, the main goal of work of art is to be shared with others and to embrace "un amour possible du monde".