Fictions in Autobiography

More about the book

Focusing on the works of notable authors like Mary McCarthy and Henry James, the book explores the concept of autobiographical truth as a dynamic process of self-creation rather than a static entity. Paul John Eakin argues that the self portrayed in autobiography is inherently fictive, emphasizing that the autobiographical impulse reflects a form of reflexive consciousness. He posits that self-invention occurs primarily through lived experience, with writing serving as a secondary expression of this ongoing developmental process.