Abstract

Mauro Carbone’s interpretation of Proust is grounded in his interpretation of Deleuze and Merleau-Ponty. The aim of this paper is to call this interpretation into question by arguing that neither Deleuze nor Merleau-Ponty provides the basis for an interpretation of Proust that concentrates on the role of expression understood as ‘translation’ within his literary project. What is precluded is the possibility of an identification of expression with the process of writing. This is, however, exactly what an interpretation of Proust demands.