Marina Marengo<\/p>\n
Abstract:<\/strong> Female Characters in the literary saga \u201cLes semailles et les moissons\u201d<\/p>\n The plots of popular European literary works are often built around male protagonists; a literary outcome one would expect from a predominantly patriarchal society. On reading this narrative, however, it is evident that women play a key role in the activation and management of the processes of change. This paper will analyse specifi c female characters, across three generations of the twentieth century, in the French literary saga \u201cLes semailles et les moissons\u201d by Henri Troyat. These women are founders or managers of tertiary activities: a country emporium, a Parisian caf\u00e9, a hotel in the upcoming tourist resort of Meg\u00e8ve, a record shop in occupied France during World War II. Men are the owners or co-owners of these activities, as is customary at the time, but they are not always capable of planning and managing them in the long-term. The female fi gures of this literary saga are effectively the prototypes of contemporary business women.<\/p>\n Keywords:<\/strong> Popular French Narrative, Processes of Change, Prototypes of Contemporary Business Women<\/p>\n