I am happy that my research methodology of a theoretically and philosophically informed close reading of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time is recognised by this journal prize. It is proof that literary classics are inexhaustible sources for thinking. I have thoroughly enjoyed the writing process, especially with my supervisor Professor Patrick ffrench’s encouragement and his carving out a space in which I have the freedom to form new ideas while receiving invaluable feedback and guidance.
Grace Yee Shuen Cheng, PhD student
14 September 2026
PhD student wins prize for best journal article
Grace Yee Shuen Cheng, PhD student in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, has won this year’s Paragraph Prize for Best Article.
Grace’s article ‘Atmospheric Texturability as Proustian Onto-Phenomenology in In Search of Lost Time’ was published in Paragraph: A Journal of Modern Critical Theory in July 2026.
Grace's article accomplishes the difficult task of breaking new ground in Proust studies, in view, through her meticulous attention to what she calls the 'texturability' of objects and of experience. This is something like the furrowed and folded nature of things, into which Proust's novel offers unique insights.
Professor Patrick ffrench, Professor of French
With focus on Proust’s writing, Grace’s research analyses how “texture” alters the way we experience the world – such as how changing faces, landscapes and objects can make familiar things seem strange or reveal something new. This texture acts as a layer between the observer and reality in Proust’s work, allowing the narrator to glimpse an alternative – and less obvious – version of reality.
Using the opera box scene from The Guermantes Way as an example, Grace argues that Proust’s descriptions of texture show how sensory experiences can offer a deeper understanding of reality.
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Professor of French