Abstract: Two female readers stand out within Giraudoux’s work: the characters of Suzanne and Edmée. Placing the former alone on an island, Giraudoux extols the reading of literature as a creative act and a recovery of oneself through imaginary worlds. As for the heroine of Choix des Élues, Giraudoux delves into more uncharted territory, encouraging the reader to reflect on how, rather than strengthening a particular identity, the aesthetic experience ultimately requires an abandonment of the self.
