Clerambault · Theme

Individual vs. Collective

How Clerambault develops Individual vs. Collective.

The central theme of the book, exploring the conflict between personal conscience and the 'herd-spirit' of the multitude, as the author argues that the individual soul has been submerged by the soul of the crowd and that independent thought must be preserved against the pressure of general opinion.

Where it surfaces

Clerambault
The chapter contrasts Clerambault's solitary pacifist voice with the herd mentality of the nation at war, and explores Froment's argument for the supreme value of the individual over the collective.
Endnotes
The original title 'L’Un contre Tous' and the note about summoning the personal conscience against the herd-spirit directly engage this theme.