Towards the end of Michel Houellebecq's first novel, Extension du domaine de la lutte (1994), translated into English under the dismal title Whatever (1998), the nameless protagonist falls into a severe depression. He leaves a note on his desk saying 'I AM SICK,' and checks himself into a 'rest home'. Relations with his psychologist are not easy:

She took me to task for speaking in general, overly sociological, terms. This, according to her, was not interesting: instead I ought to try and involve myself, try and 'get myself centred'.

- But I've had a bellyful of myself, I objected.

- As a psychologist I can't accept such a statement, nor encourage it in any way. In speaking of society all the time you create a barrier behind which you can hide.

LRB 9 February 2006 | PDF Download