Legendary Narratives and the Memory of Exile in Desert by J. M. G. Le Clézio and The Rock of Tanios by Amin Maalouf

In their use of legendary fictions, Desert and The Rock of Tanios encompass more than the mere legend of the Sahara and the Lebanese Mountain. In both novels it is an integral part of a writing device, that is to say, a type of representation and fictional resilience subliming the legacy and the experience of exile. At a time when migratory issues spark heated debates, this study shows how legendary narratives can propose an alternative to drama: memory in the making consolidates identities that are transformed by departure.