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Le sommeil du juste
Second roman de Mouloud MAMMERI, après la colline oubliée (1952) , le sommeil du juste , publié en (1955) chez Plon , décrit les bouleversements les ruptures provoqués dans la société algérienne par le conflit de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale. « ... Vous pouvez dormir, monsieur le juge : il est bon après tout que le sommeil du juste suive le sommeil de la justice ». « Mais que m'importe à moi (et aux autres) le sommeil qu'une nuit ... ou d'un jour ... Qu'importe même le sommeil de tout un ans : il n'est que la mort dont on ne s'éveille pas ... »
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First published January 1, 1952
About the author
Mouloud Mammeri
19 books30 followers[From Wikipedia] Mouloud Mammeri attended a primary school in his native village. In 1928 he emigrated to Morocco to live in his uncle's house in Rabat. Four years later he returned to Algiers and pursued his studies at Bugeaud College.
He then went to Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris intending to join the École Normale Supérieure. Conscripted in 1939 and discharged in October 1940, Mouloud Mammeri registered at the Faculté des Lettres d’Alger. Re-conscripted in 1942 after the American landing, he participated in the allied campaigns in France, Italy, and Germany.
After the end of the war, he received his degree as a professor of arts and returned to Algeria in September 1947 . He taught in Médéa, and then in Ben Aknoun, and published his first novel, The Forgotten Hill in 1952. He was forced to leave Algiers in 1957 because of the Algerian War. Mouloud came back to Algeria shortly after its independence, in 1962.
From 1965 to 1972 he taught Berber at the university in the department of ethnology. Teaching Berber was prohibited in 1962 by the Algerian government. He voluntarily taught some Berber courses under certain permission until 1973, when certain courses such as ethnology and anthropology were judged as "colonial sciences" and disbanded.
From 1969 to 1980 Mouloud Mammeri directed the Anthropological, Prehistoric and Ethnographic Research center at Algiers (CRAPE). He also headed the first national union of Algerian writers for a time, until he left due to disagreements over views of the role of writers in society.
In 1969 Mouloud Mammeri collected and published texts of the kabyle poet Si Mohand. In 1980, the prohibition of one of his conferences at Tizi Ouzou on kabyle poetry caused riots and what would be called the Berber Spring in Kabylie.
In 1982, he founded the Center of Amazigh Studies and Research (CERAM) and a periodical called Awal (The Word) in Paris, and organized several seminars on amazigh language and literature at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS). Thus he was able to compile a wealth of information on the amazigh language and literature. In 1988 Mouloud Mammeri received an honorary doctorate from Sorbonne.
Mouloud Mammeri died the evening of February 26, 1989 in a car accident, which took place near Ain-Defla on his return from a symposium in Oujda (Morocco). His funeral was spectacular, with more than 200,000 people in attendance. No officials attended the funeral, where the crowd organized in demonstrating against the government.
He then went to Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris intending to join the École Normale Supérieure. Conscripted in 1939 and discharged in October 1940, Mouloud Mammeri registered at the Faculté des Lettres d’Alger. Re-conscripted in 1942 after the American landing, he participated in the allied campaigns in France, Italy, and Germany.
After the end of the war, he received his degree as a professor of arts and returned to Algeria in September 1947 . He taught in Médéa, and then in Ben Aknoun, and published his first novel, The Forgotten Hill in 1952. He was forced to leave Algiers in 1957 because of the Algerian War. Mouloud came back to Algeria shortly after its independence, in 1962.
From 1965 to 1972 he taught Berber at the university in the department of ethnology. Teaching Berber was prohibited in 1962 by the Algerian government. He voluntarily taught some Berber courses under certain permission until 1973, when certain courses such as ethnology and anthropology were judged as "colonial sciences" and disbanded.
From 1969 to 1980 Mouloud Mammeri directed the Anthropological, Prehistoric and Ethnographic Research center at Algiers (CRAPE). He also headed the first national union of Algerian writers for a time, until he left due to disagreements over views of the role of writers in society.
In 1969 Mouloud Mammeri collected and published texts of the kabyle poet Si Mohand. In 1980, the prohibition of one of his conferences at Tizi Ouzou on kabyle poetry caused riots and what would be called the Berber Spring in Kabylie.
In 1982, he founded the Center of Amazigh Studies and Research (CERAM) and a periodical called Awal (The Word) in Paris, and organized several seminars on amazigh language and literature at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS). Thus he was able to compile a wealth of information on the amazigh language and literature. In 1988 Mouloud Mammeri received an honorary doctorate from Sorbonne.
Mouloud Mammeri died the evening of February 26, 1989 in a car accident, which took place near Ain-Defla on his return from a symposium in Oujda (Morocco). His funeral was spectacular, with more than 200,000 people in attendance. No officials attended the funeral, where the crowd organized in demonstrating against the government.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 7, 2020
De fapt, 3.5.
E ceva ciudat cu editia asta: la un moment dat actiunea se rupe brusc si continua oarecum nenatural, iar mai apoi intalnim referinte la personaje si intamplari pe care ar fi trebuit sa le stim, dar nu sunt nicaieri. Cum numaratoarea paginior e cursiva, nu se pune problema de vreun fascicul lipsa. Pot doar sa presupun ca cenzura a eliminat o parte din text...
E ceva ciudat cu editia asta: la un moment dat actiunea se rupe brusc si continua oarecum nenatural, iar mai apoi intalnim referinte la personaje si intamplari pe care ar fi trebuit sa le stim, dar nu sunt nicaieri. Cum numaratoarea paginior e cursiva, nu se pune problema de vreun fascicul lipsa. Pot doar sa presupun ca cenzura a eliminat o parte din text...
July 13, 2024
Une magnifique histoire qui parle de la vengeance, la malédiction et le chemain des trois frères vers la liberté, l'honneur et le sens de la vie .
February 7, 2014
à relire et à méditer...
November 2, 2016
"- Non mon frère, c'est assez pour nous de souffrir, c'est autour des pauvres d'être heureux"
" ...On était en 1940. Après la longue accalmie de la drôle de guerre les armées de nouveau se heurtaient et ce brusque réveil de la tempête passionnait les discussions
Valait-il mieux la guerre ou la paix? Fallait-il souhaiter la victoire de ceux-ci ou de ceux-là? Qu'allait-il sortir pour nous de tout cela? "
Un roman à lire et à relire mais surtout à méditer
Un roman qui fait réfléchir et qui impose certaines questions
...
Le sommeil du juste de Mouloud Mammeri est un roman qui raconte une affaire de famille et de vengeance au sein d'un village kabyle, là où l'auteur nous fait voyager avec lui afin de découvrir ses racines culturelles , les espérances, heurts, malheurs ainsi que le vécu historique et culturel de son peuple
"... mais l'honneur, cousin Toudert, dit Sliman, l'honneur kabyle c'est plus que tout, plus que la paix, la richesse ... plus que la vie ... plus que la mort. "
On suit l'histoire des personnages principaux: le père et ses trois fils: Mohand, Sliman et Arezki. Aussi le cousin Toudert puis celle du bouleversement et de la perturbation de leur routine nécessitant le départ d'Arezki pour un monde extérieur et étranger qu'il finira par quitter pour revenir parmi ses siens. Pour tout dire; un roman dans lequel on se trouve devant les balles, les mines, la faim, le gel, la soif, la peur, la mort et l'amour
"... Allais-je expliquer que la vie de chacun de nous est une course d'obstacles sur piste circulaire, que nous passons notre temps à franchir des haies et à sauter des trous sans pour cela que nous avancions ? "
"- Les derniers mots de votre carnet sont: vienne l'aube et je m'endormirai. J'imagine que c'était là un vœu. Pourquoi ne vous êtes-vous pas donné le loisir d'arriver à l'accomplissement d'un vœu qui apparemment en valait la peine? "
"Vous pouvez dormir, Monsieur le juge: il est bon après tout que le sommeil du juste suive le sommeil de la justice. "
"Mais que m'importe à moi ( et aux autres) le sommeil d'une nuit ... ou d'un jour ... Qu'importe même le sommeil de tout un an : il n'est- que la mort dont on ne s’éveille pas ... "
" ...On était en 1940. Après la longue accalmie de la drôle de guerre les armées de nouveau se heurtaient et ce brusque réveil de la tempête passionnait les discussions
Valait-il mieux la guerre ou la paix? Fallait-il souhaiter la victoire de ceux-ci ou de ceux-là? Qu'allait-il sortir pour nous de tout cela? "
Un roman à lire et à relire mais surtout à méditer
Un roman qui fait réfléchir et qui impose certaines questions
...
Le sommeil du juste de Mouloud Mammeri est un roman qui raconte une affaire de famille et de vengeance au sein d'un village kabyle, là où l'auteur nous fait voyager avec lui afin de découvrir ses racines culturelles , les espérances, heurts, malheurs ainsi que le vécu historique et culturel de son peuple
"... mais l'honneur, cousin Toudert, dit Sliman, l'honneur kabyle c'est plus que tout, plus que la paix, la richesse ... plus que la vie ... plus que la mort. "
On suit l'histoire des personnages principaux: le père et ses trois fils: Mohand, Sliman et Arezki. Aussi le cousin Toudert puis celle du bouleversement et de la perturbation de leur routine nécessitant le départ d'Arezki pour un monde extérieur et étranger qu'il finira par quitter pour revenir parmi ses siens. Pour tout dire; un roman dans lequel on se trouve devant les balles, les mines, la faim, le gel, la soif, la peur, la mort et l'amour
"... Allais-je expliquer que la vie de chacun de nous est une course d'obstacles sur piste circulaire, que nous passons notre temps à franchir des haies et à sauter des trous sans pour cela que nous avancions ? "
"- Les derniers mots de votre carnet sont: vienne l'aube et je m'endormirai. J'imagine que c'était là un vœu. Pourquoi ne vous êtes-vous pas donné le loisir d'arriver à l'accomplissement d'un vœu qui apparemment en valait la peine? "
"Vous pouvez dormir, Monsieur le juge: il est bon après tout que le sommeil du juste suive le sommeil de la justice. "
"Mais que m'importe à moi ( et aux autres) le sommeil d'une nuit ... ou d'un jour ... Qu'importe même le sommeil de tout un an : il n'est- que la mort dont on ne s’éveille pas ... "
February 5, 2014
"... allais-je expliquer que la vie de chacun de nous est une course d'obstacles sur piste circulaire, que nous passons notre temps à franchir des haies et à sauter des trous sans pour cela que nous avancions..."
"... vous pouvez dormir, monsieurs le juge, il est bon après tout que le sommeil du juste suive le sommeil de la justice..."
"...mais que m'importe à moi (et aux autres) le sommeil d'une nuit..., ou d'un jour... qu'importe même le sommeil de tout un an, il n'est que la mort dont on ne s'éveille pas..."
Entre colonialisme, famille, traditions, honneur, tribus, guerre et civilisation, on se perd et les limites deviennent trop floues...
"... vous pouvez dormir, monsieurs le juge, il est bon après tout que le sommeil du juste suive le sommeil de la justice..."
"...mais que m'importe à moi (et aux autres) le sommeil d'une nuit..., ou d'un jour... qu'importe même le sommeil de tout un an, il n'est que la mort dont on ne s'éveille pas..."
Entre colonialisme, famille, traditions, honneur, tribus, guerre et civilisation, on se perd et les limites deviennent trop floues...
July 28, 2023
The Sleep of the Just is situated in the middle of two other Mammeri's novels : The Forgotten Hill and Opium and the Stick. The three books form an ideological as well as a chronological continuum. The events of the first book, as well as the second's, are happening before the algerian war (1954), and the society was depicted as a bunch of young men and women influenced by french culture (Algeria was a french colony at the time) standing against "evil" and "irrational" traditionalists. This first novel appealed to the colonists since they thought it was written in their favor. Still, Mammeri just described a sad reality: Algerians divided by colonialism, some following its culture, others fighting to keep their origins and traditions alive. The last book, which was written after independence (1962), was expected to depict joy and fulfillment in the free algerian society, however, it was still showing struggle and identity quests in this confusing post-war situation, again, a sad reality.
The Sleep of the Just was written at the time of the war. Mammeri showed us, through different perspectives, this internal fight between "progress", i.e. french colonists' culture, and traditions.
The first chapter is called "the father", it is the beginning of the story, the father of three boys (Mohand, Slimane, and Arezki) is constantly trying to keep the traditions of their ancestors alive. Their family stands against multiple enemies: the french authorities, the rival family, and the treacherous cousin Toudert. The cousin keeps stealing their lands and making money off of their backs with the help of the police (he always talks to the police about them not paying taxes or having fights, etc, and the police suspend their food cards and take their possessions as a punishment). That sends Mohand into a very deep rage and resentment toward Toudert, but he is extremely sick and can do nothing about it. After that, the father remembers the story of their rivalry with that other family: their ancestors were relatives and one killed his cousin for an inheritance, his father then acted on a revenge tradition and murdered all of the men in the killer's family, but he was not able to kill the last one, a newborn baby, therefore, the other family still exists... This story creates a parallel between two cases of disloyalty within a family, two cases in which traditions call for revenge.
In the second chapter called "the son", we are moved to Slimane's perspective. He works as a simple laborer with other Algerians and is later ordered to work for his cousin Toudert (the enemy). First, he instigates a fight with his previous boss realizing how he undermines his workers, but his mate teaches him how everyone in the country is influenced by colonialism, and whether they are traitors, mean bosses, or good people, the society has to fight as a united force in order to get its freedom back, the internal problems will only create chaos and make it harder to achieve. Then, he accepts to work for Toudert since he is a traitor but he's just lost in colonialist influence, he is still an Algerian, worth fighting for. At the end of this chapter, Slimane is not able to marry the woman he loves, which becomes a pattern in this book, and he joins the revolutionary party.
The third chapter called "the angel" is about Arezki. In the first chapter, he dares to speak badly of God and traditions and is chased off the village. The young boy studies under a french teacher whom he worships. He writes his feelings and thoughts in a journal and letters addressed to this teacher, these passages are the most elaborate in this book (about emotions and thoughts) which makes it easier for us to get to know Arezki. He is enrolled in the french army to fight in World War II, he then meets other Algerians who share the same situation, as well as french guys who he becomes friends with, they are killed in the last war scene of the book. In this time period, he realizes that all the philosophy and literature he was taught doesn't matter, he burns all his books, doesn't think too highly of himself anymore, etc. Arezki also meets girls, one of them being Elfriede, whom he likes and wishes he could spend his life with. He doesn't go back to Algeria when the war is over and stays in France where he studies and keeps up his relationship with Elfriede. He also cheats at a game in a magazine to gain the money which he gives to the revolutionary party based there. He then receives a letter from his brother Slimane who begs him to come back, which he does, leaving his studies and Elfriede behind, without even being able to say goodbye (she didn't come to the train station, an other heartbreaking love story).
In the fourth and last chapter called "all to the green paradise", Arezki is back in Algeria, Slimane has joined the party, Mohand is dying, and Toudert is having a party for his son? In a last attempt at being a complete moron, Toudert talks to the police about the revolutionary party, and the members are arrested the next day at their meeting, including Slimane. Mohand also kills Toudert in his last breath. The father is accused and imprisoned. Arezki flees? He is arrested in the middle of nowhere and judged for many things, including the money magazine thing he did in France, the fake food cards, and I don't know what else. He is sentenced to 20 years in jail... He writes one last time to his teacher and tries to find wisdom and patience through what is happening. In that letter, he says that the judge will be sleeping "the sleep of the just" thinking he did his job of making justice, while his (Arezki's) sleep doesn't matter anymore, since he has twenty years to spend in a prison cell. He is sent a letter by Elfriede who doesn't know about the things they are going through wishing him well and imagining him happy and reunited with his family, again creating a parallel with the events of the book.
This novel is tragic. It shows how internal fights create external ones, with the murders, the betrayals, the failed relationships, the wars, the revolution, and this completely unexpected ending in jail. It obviously reflects the injustice of colonialism and a dichotomy between tradition and progress, between fairness and unfairness, between good and evil, a dichotomy that somehow becomes one and the same, a never-ending confusion and identity quest.
If you want to learn about Algeria at the time of french colonialism, it is one of the many novels that depict the situation perfectly. In this one, it is harsh and sometimes even philosophical. It makes us question values, life, education, knowledge, relationships, trust, etc. I highly recommend and I will probably read other novels by this talented author.
The Sleep of the Just was written at the time of the war. Mammeri showed us, through different perspectives, this internal fight between "progress", i.e. french colonists' culture, and traditions.
The first chapter is called "the father", it is the beginning of the story, the father of three boys (Mohand, Slimane, and Arezki) is constantly trying to keep the traditions of their ancestors alive. Their family stands against multiple enemies: the french authorities, the rival family, and the treacherous cousin Toudert. The cousin keeps stealing their lands and making money off of their backs with the help of the police (he always talks to the police about them not paying taxes or having fights, etc, and the police suspend their food cards and take their possessions as a punishment). That sends Mohand into a very deep rage and resentment toward Toudert, but he is extremely sick and can do nothing about it. After that, the father remembers the story of their rivalry with that other family: their ancestors were relatives and one killed his cousin for an inheritance, his father then acted on a revenge tradition and murdered all of the men in the killer's family, but he was not able to kill the last one, a newborn baby, therefore, the other family still exists... This story creates a parallel between two cases of disloyalty within a family, two cases in which traditions call for revenge.
In the second chapter called "the son", we are moved to Slimane's perspective. He works as a simple laborer with other Algerians and is later ordered to work for his cousin Toudert (the enemy). First, he instigates a fight with his previous boss realizing how he undermines his workers, but his mate teaches him how everyone in the country is influenced by colonialism, and whether they are traitors, mean bosses, or good people, the society has to fight as a united force in order to get its freedom back, the internal problems will only create chaos and make it harder to achieve. Then, he accepts to work for Toudert since he is a traitor but he's just lost in colonialist influence, he is still an Algerian, worth fighting for. At the end of this chapter, Slimane is not able to marry the woman he loves, which becomes a pattern in this book, and he joins the revolutionary party.
The third chapter called "the angel" is about Arezki. In the first chapter, he dares to speak badly of God and traditions and is chased off the village. The young boy studies under a french teacher whom he worships. He writes his feelings and thoughts in a journal and letters addressed to this teacher, these passages are the most elaborate in this book (about emotions and thoughts) which makes it easier for us to get to know Arezki. He is enrolled in the french army to fight in World War II, he then meets other Algerians who share the same situation, as well as french guys who he becomes friends with, they are killed in the last war scene of the book. In this time period, he realizes that all the philosophy and literature he was taught doesn't matter, he burns all his books, doesn't think too highly of himself anymore, etc. Arezki also meets girls, one of them being Elfriede, whom he likes and wishes he could spend his life with. He doesn't go back to Algeria when the war is over and stays in France where he studies and keeps up his relationship with Elfriede. He also cheats at a game in a magazine to gain the money which he gives to the revolutionary party based there. He then receives a letter from his brother Slimane who begs him to come back, which he does, leaving his studies and Elfriede behind, without even being able to say goodbye (she didn't come to the train station, an other heartbreaking love story).
In the fourth and last chapter called "all to the green paradise", Arezki is back in Algeria, Slimane has joined the party, Mohand is dying, and Toudert is having a party for his son? In a last attempt at being a complete moron, Toudert talks to the police about the revolutionary party, and the members are arrested the next day at their meeting, including Slimane. Mohand also kills Toudert in his last breath. The father is accused and imprisoned. Arezki flees? He is arrested in the middle of nowhere and judged for many things, including the money magazine thing he did in France, the fake food cards, and I don't know what else. He is sentenced to 20 years in jail... He writes one last time to his teacher and tries to find wisdom and patience through what is happening. In that letter, he says that the judge will be sleeping "the sleep of the just" thinking he did his job of making justice, while his (Arezki's) sleep doesn't matter anymore, since he has twenty years to spend in a prison cell. He is sent a letter by Elfriede who doesn't know about the things they are going through wishing him well and imagining him happy and reunited with his family, again creating a parallel with the events of the book.
This novel is tragic. It shows how internal fights create external ones, with the murders, the betrayals, the failed relationships, the wars, the revolution, and this completely unexpected ending in jail. It obviously reflects the injustice of colonialism and a dichotomy between tradition and progress, between fairness and unfairness, between good and evil, a dichotomy that somehow becomes one and the same, a never-ending confusion and identity quest.
If you want to learn about Algeria at the time of french colonialism, it is one of the many novels that depict the situation perfectly. In this one, it is harsh and sometimes even philosophical. It makes us question values, life, education, knowledge, relationships, trust, etc. I highly recommend and I will probably read other novels by this talented author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2024
Un chef d'oeuvre, c'est a relire et apprendre beaucoup de chose quand on se concentre avec une bonne lecture où il explique tout...
August 8, 2024
Une magnifique histoire qui parle de la vengeance, la malédiction et le chemin des trois frères vers la liberté et l'honneur.
March 23, 2025
Timeline un peu dure à suivre
April 9, 2019
it's a good story
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews