Iceberg (short story)

This is the story of a man (Bernard) who falls in love with a young woman (Irène) and seeks to get rid of what he considers his rival (Georges).

Recognized by critics, Iceberg is a reference among detective short stories and studied in French middle and high schools (collège and lycée).

[1] The short story was first published by Fred Kassak on Saturday 18 January 1964 in Week-end: le magazine du tiercé[2].

[3] Six years later, the same publisher released Qui a peur d'Ed Garpo?, a collection of ten short stories by Fred Kassak, including Iceberg.

[4][5] In June 2004, Iceberg and five other short stories appeared in Nouvelles à chute, published by Magnard in the Classiques & Contemporains collection.

[9] All the elements of the detective story are gathered: the reason (Bernard's jealousy), the weapon (the car), and the crime (the attempted murder).

[9] It can notably be found in The School for Wives (Act I, Scene 4) where Arnolphe, determined to marry his ward Agnès, meets Horace, who has also fallen for the same woman.

[9] Fred Kassak increasingly sows clues about Georges' identity throughout the story: he cannot stand the sun heat; he remains silent; Bernard describes him as "a half-bald runt"; he is indifferent to everything Irène does for him; he stays inside the car and does not go to admire the sea; finally, Georges cries out and Irène rocks him to calm him down.