MISCONCEPTIONS ON FRANCE DEPLORED

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28324, 9 July 1957, Page 19

MISCONCEPTIONS ON FRANCE DEPLORED

“Why do English-speaking peoples have such a deep-seated misconception that France is synonymous with sex and nudes?” After six months in New Zealand Miss Christiane Foiret is vexed that this impression extends to this country, and is still seeking the answer to her question.

“ ‘You can’t really be French. You’re not petite and you’re not brunette’ they say to me,” Miss Foiret said. She is tall and blonde, but nobody would deny that she is smart. And she emphatically disagrees with the claim that Frenchmen prefer brunettes. “I wonder why New Zealand does not secure better French books, and better French films?” Miss Foiret said. “The general idea seems to be that anything French must be sensational, that a French film means short shirts and panties, that a French play means nudes, and that French literature means something suggestive. Perhaps these ideas have been played up in advertising, but they are quite wrong.” Miss Foiret has come from France on a New Zealand Government fellowship in French. She is joining the staff of Canterbury University College in the modern languages department for

the rest of this year after similar appointments at the other university colleges. “The increasing numbers of New Zealand students, teachers, and others, who have lived in France, will remove the concept that my country means sex and nothing else,” Miss Foiret said. “Good French literature and films are available from the French Legation, but it is a pity that they reach only small audiences. The French films I have seen in the theatres here are not very good and they are not new. At least five fine films a year come out of France. Why don’t you get them here?” French literature of higher quality was also becoming available in cheap editions. Miss Foiret said she hoped they would meet with a ready sale. The books should be well within the capabilities of university students and many school students of French. The films, if well “dubbed” with English dialogue,

should be easily followed both by those who understood French and those who did not, Miss Foiret said. She was disappointed that a French film seemed to be screened in the South Island as infrequently as once a quarter or worse. Spoken French Spoken French was apparently improving with the overseas experience of students and teachers and, Miss Foiret continued, the new standard and interest were very apparent in classes with such teachers. Besides increasing fluency, these teachers had also been able to give their students a truer insight into French civilisation. Everything about such a class was stimulating. Miss Foiret aid she had heard that a visit had been made by children from New Caledonia to New Zealand. With France so far away, she hoped regular exchanges of this nature would be encouraged. It would benefit both nationalities. There was nothing better than living and working with another race to learn their language and understand their way of life. France, also, could benefit by a better knowledge of New Zealand, Miss Foiret said. She hoped she might contribute something in this field. Besides teaching oral French, her fellowship covered research* into the New Zealand background of Katherine Mansfield. “In France they know that her father was a merchant in Wellington, but that is all,” she said. “Katherine Mansfield’s early life has been pretty thoroughly investigated, but I am finding it helpful to study this country at first hand.” (Miss Foiret is preparing a thesis for a doctorate on Katherine Mansfield’s early life in New Zealand).

Miss Foiret said tljat most sources of material seemed to be in the North Island, but she would be grateful if anyone with original material on Katherine Mansfield would communicate* with her at Canterbury College.