Moorings and mythology: Le Ventre de l'Atlantique and the immigrant experience

Analyzing Fatou Diome's 2003 novel Le Ventre de l'Atlantique, this article explores its treatment of the international migration system, particularly the causes of migration between Senegal and France and the social ills that go along with this, as well as the novel's location in the genealogy of Francophone literature. It argues that Diome's position is ambiguous, portraying the principal causes of migration as intellectual and cultural, rooted in a mythologized image of France, yet prescribing an economic solution to the problem: Diome depicts the (largely autobiographical) protagonist, Salie, financing a local business with French capital for her brother in an effort to dissuade him from leaving Senegal. This article also examines the novel's exploration of identity, belonging, and memory through the protagonist's engagement with the act of writing. It argues that, in particular, Diome illuminates the lesser-known marginalization faced by 'failed' migrants in their home society, and how migration can lead to a persistent state of alienation even among those who return home.