Abstract

Through the translation of and commentary on Jean Barbe’s short novel, Le travail de l’huître, this thesis seeks to explore some of the issues that arise during the process of translating a literary text. Based on Umberto Eco’s theories on interpretation, one fundamental premise is that translation is first and foremost an act of reading, and part of the translator’s task consists in learning how to read for the work of translation and where such reading actually begins. Antoine Berman provides the second fundamental premise, which is the requirement for the translator to develop a consciousness of him or herself as a translating subject whose specificity inescapably influences the translation process and the product of that process. For the more detailed work of textual analysis, the thesis relies first on the work scholars such as Jonathan Culler, for an understanding of the literary nature of this text, and Gérard Genette and his work on textual borders. The final translation of Le travail de l’huître was also produced in light of the work of many practising translators, whose thoughts and practices provided an interesting comparison and contrast with the work of the theorists.