▁met ▁with ▁ind ignation , ▁since ▁many ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁felt ▁that ▁the ▁prize ▁should ▁have ▁gone ▁to ▁Roland ▁D org el ès ▁for ▁Les ▁Cro ix ▁de ▁bois , ▁a ▁novel ▁about ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁The ▁prize ▁was ▁supposed ▁to ▁be ▁awarded ▁to ▁prom ising ▁young ▁authors , ▁whereas ▁Pr oust ▁was ▁not ▁considered ▁" you ng " ▁at ▁ 4 8 ▁– ▁however ▁Pr oust ▁was ▁a ▁beginning ▁author ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁el ig ibility ▁requirement , ▁age ▁being ▁un important . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁R ene ▁Mar an ▁won ▁the ▁Gon court ▁with ▁Bat ou ala , ▁ver itable ▁roman ▁neg re , ▁the ▁first ▁French ▁novel ▁to ▁open ly ▁critic ize ▁European ▁colonial ism ▁in ▁Africa . ▁The ▁novel ▁caused ▁" vi ol ent ▁re actions " ▁and ▁was ▁b anned ▁in ▁all ▁the ▁French ▁colon ies . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁the ▁prize ▁was ▁controvers ial ▁for ▁passing ▁up ▁Louis - F erd inand ▁C é line ' s ▁Vo y age ▁au ▁bout ▁de ▁la ▁nuit ▁for ▁Guy ▁Maz eline ' s ▁Les ▁L oups . ▁The ▁voting ▁process ▁became ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁book ▁Gon court ▁ 3 2 ▁by ▁Eug ène ▁Sac com ano . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁award ▁may ▁only ▁be ▁given ▁to ▁an ▁author ▁once , ▁Rom ain ▁Gary ▁won ▁it ▁twice , ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁for ▁Les ▁rac ines ▁du ▁ciel ▁and