Constructing the Self through Otherness: An Analysis of Colonial Fictional Travel Narratives for Young Readers

Abstract

This article analyzes 24 first-person narratives randomly selected from the pages of L’Intrépide (1910-1937), a magazine aimed at young boys passionate about adventure, sports, and travel. Although fictional, these stories adopt certain codes of travel writing and autobiography, thus blurring the boundaries between fiction and reality, creating a sort of deceptive autobiographical pact. Drawing on Adrien Pasquali's theories on the connection between autobiography and travel narratives, the article highlights the importance of studying this genre, which is constructed to appear real to its readers. The mysterious narrator, being relatively reserved about himself, is primarily defined through his relationship to otherness. Using Mary Louise Pratt’s concept of contact zones, the study reveals that in his interactions with Others, the narrator is portrayed as a dominant, rational, and morally superior figure, in contrast to the indigenous people, settlers, and animals around him, who are generally depicted as subordinates. These narratives, therefore, shape an idealized and heroic vision of the colonizer, contributing to colonial propaganda.