Between philosophy and narrative arts:

Simone de Beauvoir’s metaphysical novel and its methodological challenges

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze how Simone de Beauvoir justifies her attempt to connect philosophy and narrative arts, such as literature, through what she termed as “metaphysical novel.” To achieve this, I present common difficulties and objections faced in attempting to connect these two areas. Subsequently, I examine methodological issues related to what Beauvoir recognized as the limitations of traditional philosophy in addressing certain aspects of the singularity and particularity of experiences. This investigation will provide an opportunity to explore two significant aspects of Beauvoir’s work: her controversial denial of being a philosopher and some apparent ambiguities in her definition of philosophical activity. Finally, I present the uniqueness of her approach, arguing that her pursuit to reconcile philosophy and narratives results in a methodological departure from both philosophy and literature, as conventionally understood.