Zola et la « lanterne magique » d’À rebours

À rebours is considered to be Huysmans’ first break from naturalism in general and Zola in particular. Zola’s reaction is often reduced to his letter to Huysmans on May 20, 1884 and his criticism of his disciple’s lack of composition in the work. Yet the metaphor of the novel as “magic lantern” reveals a deeper concern. A reading of Huysmans’ novel in light of the preparatory dossier for Germinal shows that Des Esseintes raises questions for Zola regarding his most fundamental procedures as a writer.