Jean Schlumberger in Proust's Correspondence. From literary salons to novel writing

The name of Jean Schlumberger. the founding member of «Nouvelle Revue Française», which appears at times in Marcel Proust's letters, illustrates well the possibilities that the writer's correspondence opens up for a researcher, who wants to recreate his line of reasoning and creative process. Jean Schlumberger and his cousin Gustave at first seem to appear in literary circles known to Proust as quite negative figures, whose views on almost every subject he did not share. Gradually, however, the author of La Recherche revises his stance and as a result of his contact with Schlumberger he rewrites different fragments of his novel cycle, especially one episode of Sodome et Gomorrhe and some theoretical passage of Temps retrouvé. Only the reference to the letters enables us to perceive the mysterious way leading from sociological surface to the depth of creative process