"Laura Laur" and the deconstruction of femininity myths

Through the novel Laura Laur (1983), Quebec writer Suzanne Jacob makes the reader think about feminine identity as it has been defined and fixed by patriarchal tradition and androcentric narratives. This study will analyse the strategies used by the author to question these preconceived images. The different focalisations presented in the novel are unable to provide any certainty about the character of Laura Laur, the enigmatic female figure who gives title to the work. Her actions are never explained but they have an impact on all the other characters. This analysis will show how the narrative deconstructs the myths that have defined the feminine gender and the relationships between the sexes.