New developments in the Thélyson Orélien case! Following accusations of using artificial intelligence (AI) to write his novel "C’était ça ou mourir" and the suspension of his promotional tour in Canada and France, the Canadian-Haitian author, Thélyson Orélien, had decided to remain silent amidst this controversy shaking the literary world. But, plot twist! On October 13, Agence France-Presse (AFP) published a responsive text – "This novel that I wrote" – written by the author. In it, he clarifies two things. First, referencing plagiarism accusations regarding some of his earlier works, Thélyson Orélien acknowledges them and apologizes. He writes the following: "[...] admiring does not authorize taking, attributing to me texts that are not mine. I have committed unacceptable mistakes, despite youth and inexperience. I deeply regret it and offer my unreserved apologies." Secondly, regarding the accusations of using AI, Thélyson Orélien refutes them by labeling them as slander and heresy. In short, while he admits to having "occasionally used tools for research, particularly concerning foreign idioms," he insists that "no sentence in this book was created by a machine, nor the meaning or structure of a narrative that comes from [his] guts." He assures that he wrote this novel himself. "[I]t comes from [his] wounds and those of other migrants." This text from the author, published by AFP, tarnishes, in the eyes of some, it's true, a bit more his image. But this text was initially intended to put an end to this grinding controversy. Profitable strategy? Apparently not. Thélyson Orélien remains in the sights of some detractors.
As if that were not enough, last week, while having supported him until now, Thélyson Orélien's Canadian publishing house, Éditions du Boréal, issued a statement on October 21 announcing the termination of their collaboration. It claims that "[n]ew elements, confirmed over the last few days, indicate that artificial intelligence was used in the writing process of C’était ça ou mourir, while the author [himself] had assured, repeatedly, that he had never resorted to it for the creation of his novel." Traces of AI markers have been detected in the metadata of certain documents. However, the publishing house is unable to specify "to what extent AI was used in the creation" of the book. Oh no! The noose is tightening around Thélyson Orélien. With this statement, the controversy takes a new turn, and some who defended him and believed in his innocence are left stunned. The author/publisher and author/reader trust is broken. Impossible to piece things back together. Yet, the author stands his ground. In the columns of Libération, he admits to having used AI for research but never to write his book. Cornered, the author feels "hunted like an animal"; and the malicious tongues take delight in the downfall of this man, who is Black, moreover, and who was praised, for some time, by Western literary critics. Even if Thélyson Orélien were actually guilty of the charges against him, he should not have to endure such media treatment.
Beyond the questioning – which, in a certain way, would be justified – regarding our relationship with AI, this unfortunate controversy simply reveals, once again, unfortunately, the toxic atmosphere that prevails in Western countries, which contaminates the rest of the world. As we know, racism has never disappeared from the surface of this earth. It has always been there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to resurface in broad daylight and expose its hideous face to all. And with the rise to power of extreme right governments embracing fascism, men and women raised on this ideology no longer hesitate to spew their venom on beings they consider inferior to them. The media frenzy towards Thélyson Orélien is proof of this. Some comments and mockeries on the Internet and social media are tinged with this bitter taste of racism that erases all humanity. Indeed, those who openly criticize him in this way utterly disregard recognizing that "beyond the book and the controversy, there is foremost a human being." However, this lack of humanity does not only target the author; it inevitably affects those same detractors. By refusing to acknowledge the humanity of an individual, regardless of their origins, they too sacrifice, on the altar of racism, their own humanity. In other words, one who denies another’s humanity loses their own humanity. Yet, it is a fundamental notion that serves to bind individuals together. One need only refer to the definition of a dictionary, such as that of Larousse, to grasp that it is a moral virtue that facilitates "understanding, compassion towards one’s peers." If Thélyson Orélien is the object of so much hostility, it is not so much for the form of his book as for its content. To put it frankly, this manifestation of hate seeks, in reality, to shamelessly conceal the very subject of "C’était ça ou mourir": immigration.
This novel, regardless of its author, whether human or AI, nonetheless has the merit, whether we like it or not, of shedding light on the plight of migrants. When reading it, what strikes is not only the journey of Jonas Dorléon, a Haitian history-geography teacher fleeing Carrefour-Feuilles, then Haiti, passing through the Dominican Republic, Brazil, the countries of Central America, the United States, and finally Canada; but that of numerous other migrants fleeing their own country under deplorable conditions. "C’était ça ou mourir" is a testimony; it seeks to give voice to all those who perished, to all those who survived, to all those who managed – even if, fundamentally, no migrant emerges unscathed from this journey – to cross a foreign border, to all those who have become invisible. The novel accurately shows, page after page, how much the migrant must disappear to survive. Thus, sadly, the migrant loses, due to circumstances, their identity, dignity, and humanity. They become invisible to everyone, not to mention the abominable treatment they endure, the dangers that await them, the inflicted wounds, and the considerable losses. The novel brings back to life all those who had disappeared; it gives them a face, a name, an identity. It restores a form of humanity to them.
This novel, regardless of its author, whether human or AI, disturbs. It disturbs because it unveils a harsh truth that some refuse to confront and understand. They prefer to shut themselves up in their idealistic illusion of a world based entirely on a hierarchy among men. They dismiss with a wave of the hand the causes that push a man or woman to flee their country of origin, while their own government is not completely innocent. Political destabilizations, economic crises, and social difficulties are most often instigated by foreign powers. To convince oneself of this, one need only observe the current geopolitical situation; the United States' control over the internal affairs of other countries, for personal interests, is the perfect example. Haiti, as we know, has been a testing ground. Starting from 1825, neo-colonial powers sought without hesitation to stifle the rise of the young Haitian nation by considerably weakening it. And the migration crisis is but a consequence of this. So, a novel that stirs up this past and could help understand the present is something some do not want. The world order must remain as is; it is imperative to keep individuals in ignorance to maintain Western domination.
This novel, regardless of its author, whether human or AI, engages our own humanity as readers. It would thus be desirable for us all to be capable of going beyond simple controversy and entering the invisible world of migrants. For, as Thélyson Orélien concludes, one must read this story "for what it recounts, that it allows its readers to open their eyes and their hearts to the world [and] to those who inhabit it. Whatever their origin." If we want the world to change, we must learn to cultivate our humanity.
