Writing a Life: Diaries and Autobiographies as Sources of the Self

Why do we keep a diary or write an autobiography? What does it mean to write about the self or write down a life? This talk will explore the most important trends in life-writing studies throughout the twentieth century. Emilia Halton-Hernandez will explore the notion that through the act of writing we not only express ourselves, but also construct a sense of self(ves). She will also introduce the term ‘egodocument’ as an important alternative to thinking about subjectivity in less obviously autobiographical texts. This talk will be informed by literary, historical and psychoanalytic approaches to selfhood, subjectivity and narrative.