Problematic Realisms: German Poetic Realism and Michel Butor's Portrait de l'artiste en jeune singe

This article addresses the problem of evaluation in German Realism by arguing that the forms of German Realism, which are often criticised, constitute an aesthetic which is relevant to developments in narrative representation in the twentieth century, particularly the Nouveau Roman. The article proposes a reading of Butor's Portrait through the interpretative lens of German Realism, and uncovers new patterns of narrative coherence in the work, primarily in the form of centre-periphery structures.