Antichrista
First (French) edition
AuthorAmélie Nothomb
Original titleAntéchrista
CountryBelgium
LanguageFrench
GenreNovel
PublisherAlbin Michel
Publication date
2003
Published in English
2005
Media typeprint
ISBN0-571-22483-0

Antichrista (French: Antéchrista) is a Belgian novel by Amélie Nothomb. It was first published by "Éditions Albin Michel" in 2003 in France. It was translated into English in 2005.

Plot

The novel is about two female students, called Blanche and Christa.

Blanche (French: white, here: "ingénue"), a shy, inconspicuous and retiring girl, gets to know Christa at the University of Brussels and they become friends. Christa is the first real friend in Blanche's life and that is why in the beginning she is very excited and nervous about their friendship. It turns out that Christa is the exact counterpart of Blanche: she is talented, brilliant and above all extremely popular. But it does not take Blanche long to figure out that Christa plays false and loose with her and slowly becomes her "headsman", the Antichrist. Therefore, Blanche has to overcome her trepidation and anxiety to get away from the "Antichrista" and save her family from an "apocalypse".[1][2][3][4]

Chronology

WeekChronologyPlot
1First dayBlanche notices Christa's smile
2One week laterChrista looks at Blanche
2The following day (Monday)Christa talks to Blanche
2TuesdayChrista is tired
2The following day (Wednesday)Blanche invites Christa to her home
3MondayChrista visits Blanche: torture and meeting with the parents
3The following morning (Tuesday)Return to university; evening: Blanche practices Christa's gymnastic exercises
3The following day (Wednesday)Blanche feels lonely
4The next MondayChrista is received enthusiastically by Blanche's parents (Champagne)
4A few days laterChrista introduces Blanche to her friends
5Monday nightBlanche asks questions about Detlev and thinks about their friendship
6The next MondayChrista neither shows up at university nor at the flat of the Hasts; Blanche's parents are worried
6The following dayChrista shows up at university again
7The subsequent MondayBlanche loses her parents; they propose to Christa to stay with them the whole week
7Wednesday afternoonChrista moves in
7Later at universityChrista's self-display; Blanche's inner strength
7In NovemberChrista and Blanche go out: "Antichrista"
7In this nightBlanche's interiour dialogue
8During several daysBlanche ignores her intruder;
Nov/DecThe weekends were my liberationBlanche profits from her loneliness by reading all the time
Nov/DecWhen Christa is back, which means Sunday evening to Friday afternoonChrista petrifies Blanche; the Antichrista gains ground
Nov/DecDuring the weekChrista takes Blanche out to many parties
Nov/DecDuring the weekThe "adventure" with Sabine
DecIn DecemberThe exams: Blanche has a better grade in philosophy
DecDuring the Christmas breakChrista goes home; Blanche enjoys two weeks of freedom
DecDuring the Christmas breakThe visit at aunt Ursula's home
DecNew Year's EveBlanches parents think about Christa
JanThe evening of the 5th JanuaryThey eat the "cake of the Twelfth Night": the apocalypse is close
JanThree days a weekBlanches parents invite guests to dinner to introduce Christa to them; they make fun of Blanche despite of her presence
FebHolidaysChrista goes home
FebThe day after Christa's departureBlanche goes to Malmedy ("mal me dit"- "I am told bad things") for one day
FebOn the second day of the holidaysBlanche shows the "proof" to her parents
FebSunday eveningPrivate conversation of the family Hast with Christa; Christa packs her belongings
In springOne day...Short conversation between Christa and Blanche at university
In springA few days laterThe letter from Mr. Bildung
In springOne morningA friend of Christa spits in Blanche's face
In springLaterInsulting letters from Detlev and Christa's mother
In springLaterUniversity life becomes difficult for Blanche
In springThe evening before the Easter breakBlanche arrives too late in a lecture: a Hollywood-style kiss for Christa
In springTwo weeks laterThe lectures continue – without Christa
JunTime passesBlanche fails her exams, her parents go on holidays, she stays at home all alone
AugOn the 13th AugustBlanche's 17th birthday, no party, not a single call; Blanche practices Christa's gymnastic exercises without wanting to do so

In terms of the dynamics of the time structure, there are increasingly dramatic leaps in time; at the beginning, the action is told from day to day, whereas later in weekly steps (from Monday to Monday) and finally towards the end of the novel in monthly time intervals.

Blanche and Christa

The two main characters of the story are named Blanche and Christa. Blanche is a shy and reclusive 16-year-old girl. She is ashamed of her difficulties in approaching other persons (especially such of her own age). Christa represents the opposite of Blanche. She is also 16 years old and comes from Malmedy in the East of Belgium. Christa speaks German, laughs frequently and is very outgoing.

Christian symbols in the novel

None of the characters in this novel has a connection to or affinity for the Christian religion. Neither Blanche nor her parents nor Christa are practicing Christians. Nonetheless, they use Christian metaphors, parables and symbols, e.g. the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Epiphany, Antichrist, Apocalypse, Kiss of Judas, and Crucifixion. The references and parallels to Christian confession have lost their religious meaning in this novel and are associated with a negative connotation: Christa recklessly exploits the Parable of the Prodigal Son to distinguish herself. The Epiphany is debased to a farce. Christa is labeled "Antichrista" by Blanche because of her vicious intrigues. Christa's satanic manipulations within the microcosm of the Hast family reaches an apocalyptic scale. The Kiss of Judas aids uncovering Christa's maliciousness. The Crucifixion serves as an illustration for Blanche's inner disunity.[5]

References

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