The Thief's Journal by Jean Genet (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of The Thief’s Journal with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of The Thief’s Journal by Jean Genet, in which the author draws on his own fading memories of his youth to create a rather singular autobiography. The result is an unembellished account of his days as a thief, beggar, smuggler, wanderer, prison inmate and prostitute, written in a lyrical style that finds the beauty in the misfortunes he experienced. Genet himself described the book as an ode to his own holy trinity of “betrayal, theft and homosexuality”. In his later years, Genet was a successful novelist, poet and playwright, as well as a committed political activist.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Nov 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9782808000925

Book preview

Writer, poet, and playwright

Born in Paris in 1910.

Died in Paris in 1986.

Notable works:

Our Lady of the Flowers (1944), novel

The Maids (1947), play

The Thief’s Journal (1949), novel

Jean Genet was born in Paris on 19 December 1910. Abandoned by his mother, he began committing theft when he was a teenager, a time during which he also discovered his homosexuality. He was sent to Mettray Penal Colony, before enrolling in the Foreign Legion, which he deserted to lead the life of a thief, a beggar and a prostitute. He started writing in prison and, in 1942, while he was imprisoned at Fresnes, he published his first poem, The Man Sentenced to Death. He then began writing autobiographical novels, including The Miracle of the Rose and The Thief’s Journal. In the 1960s, he became well-known for his theatrical works: his plays The Maids and The Screens were hugely successful. His supporters included Jean Cocteau and Jean-Paul Sartre and he was awarded the Grand Prix national des Lettres in 1983. He died