Description
AUTOBIOGRAPHY WRITING AND EXISTENCE
Book Summary
This essay offers a rigorous exploration of literary autobiography as a fundamental narrative genre in the 21st century. The reader will find a detailed analysis of the three most influential theories on self-writing: the philosophical approach of Georges Gusdorf, the structuralist approach of Philippe Lejeune, and the hermeneutic perspective of Paul Ricoeur. The work not only presents these conceptual frameworks but also provides a methodology for the critical study of autobiography, becoming an indispensable tool for understanding how writing shapes existence.
What is it about?
The book addresses literary autobiography from a dual perspective: theoretical and methodological. First, it presents and analyzes the three most relevant theoretical proposals regarding the autobiographical genre: the philosophical theory of Georges Gusdorf, which situates autobiography as an experience of self-knowledge and identity construction; the structuralist theory of Philippe Lejeune, focused on the autobiographical pact and the formal conditions of the genre; and the hermeneutic theory of Paul Ricoeur, which links narrative identity to the interpretation of time and experience. Second, the author proposes a study methodology that integrates these perspectives to analyze autobiographical texts, offering the reader the critical tools necessary to approach this genre in all its complexity.
Main Topics
- Philosophical theory of autobiography according to Georges Gusdorf
- The autobiographical pact and the structuralist theory of Philippe Lejeune
- Narrative identity and hermeneutics in the work of Paul Ricoeur
- Methodology for the critical study of the autobiographical genre
- Relationship between writing, existence, and identity construction
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at students and scholars of literature, philosophy, and the humanities interested in the theory of the autobiographical genre. It is also of great use to writers who wish to understand the theoretical foundations of self-writing, as well as to readers with a background in the humanities who seek to delve into the critical analysis of autobiographies and memoirs.
What this book contributes
- A clear and systematic synthesis of the three major theories on autobiography
- Methodological tools for the critical analysis of autobiographical texts
- A deep understanding of how writing configures existential experience
- A rigorous theoretical framework for approaching self-literature in the contemporary context
Technical Details
- Author: Jesus Camarero
- Publisher: Anthropos Editorial
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Biography and true stories, Literary essays, Literature: history and criticism
- Collection: Pensamiento Critico / Utopico
- Publication date: November 2011
- Number of pages: 256
- Weight: 309 g
Editorial Review
This is a reference work for those who wish to delve into the theory of autobiography from an academic perspective. The author manages to clearly explain the proposals of Gusdorf, Lejeune, and Ricoeur, offering the reader a complete conceptual map of the genre. His methodological approach adds a practical value that distinguishes it from other purely theoretical studies. It is, without a doubt, essential reading for specialists and a solid starting point for any research on autobiographical writing.