Design and Truth in AutobiographyOriginally published in 1960. Is there an art of autobiography? What are its origins and how has it come to acquire the form we know today? For what does the autobiographer seek, and why should it be so popular? This study suggests some of the answers to these questions. It takes the view that autobiography is one of the dominant and characteristic forms of literary self-expression and deserves examination for its own sake. This book outlines a definition of the form and traces its historical origins and development, analyses its ‘truth’ and talks about what sort of self-knowledge it investigates. |
Contents
| 1 | |
IIThe earlier history of autobiography | 21 |
IIIThe classical age of autobiography | 36 |
IVThe classical achievement and modern developments | 50 |
VThe elusiveness of truth | 61 |
VIThe autobiography of childhood | 84 |
VIIThe acquisition of an outlook | 95 |
VIIIThe story of a calling | 112 |
IXThe autobiography of the poet | 133 |
XMan in all the truth of nature | 148 |
XIThe autobiographical novel | 162 |
XIIThe structure of truth in autobiography | 179 |
| 196 | |
| 201 | |
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Common terms and phrases
achievement activity actual affection appears artist auto autobiography aware become believe biography called character child childhood circumstances complex concerned Confessions consciousness decisive describes direct distinctive earlier early essential established evidence experience expressed fact father feeling force friends give Henry human idea imaginative important indicate individual inner insight instance intellectual intention interest James knowledge lack later less literary lives meaning memoirs memory mind moral nature never novel objective outer particular past perhaps personality philosophical political possible present problem psychological realised reality recognised record relation relationship religious remains respect Rousseau seems sense shape significant simply situation social sort speak specific spiritual statement story task tells theme things thought tion true truth understanding whole writing written wrote