Études littéraires éd. par Marie-Andrée Beaudet, Mylène Bédard (review)

Jeanne Lapointe (1915–2006), the first female professor of literature at Laval University, is the primary subject of this special volume of Études littéraires. Divided into two major parts, Étudesand Analyses, the volume is well organized and leaves the reader wanting to know more about Lapointe, who refashioned her field. While each author offers a different perspective on Lapointe's career, similar themes recur: a pioneer, friend, and mentor, who transmitted knowledge through generations, eagerly participated in intellectual exchanges, and supported Quebec authors such as Anne Hébert, Gabrielle Roy, and Marie-Claire Blais at the beginnings of their careers. To highlight two of the articles: in "Mentore et amie," Mylène Bédard underlines the importance of epistolary correspondence between Lapointe and contemporary female authors, and its role in creating a relationship centered around teaching and learning; in "La morale de l'intelligence, gage de liberté," Claudia Raby underscores a strong woman who fought for her place in the university and for creative and intellectual freedom in society. Making this volume feel intimate is the personal homage given by each author to Lapointe. Particularly noteworthy in this regard: "Féminin singulier, transmission plurielle" by Lori Saint-Martin, Lapointe's last doctoral advisee. By weaving together her personal and professional perspectives, Saint-Martin produces an intimate, inspiring, and thought-provoking tribute. Peppering her accounts with stylized insights indicative of Lapointe's teachings, Saint-Martin demonstrates an active reflection on her education with her mentor. The editors include correspondence between Lapointe and Monseigneur Félix-Antoine Savard, Dean of Laval University's Faculty of Arts, a timeline of Lapointe's life, and a bibliography not only of her work but of work about her as well. This timeline permits the reader a deeper look into Lapointe's life: as a teacher in France and Martinique, and as a student in Paris with such notable theorists as Julia Kristeva, Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault, and Hélène Cixous. This volume also contains four articles that analyze, in turn, novels by three French authors, and one film by a famous Quebecois filmmaker. While a connection to Lapointe is not immediately evident, the works are well-researched and provide an interesting contrast. Scholars of Quebec studies, women's studies, and epistolary correspondence will find this volume of interest.