Interpreting the Self: Two Hundred Years of American AutobiographyUniversity of Chicago Press, 2000 M04 15 - 263 pages In this ambitious study, Diane Bjorklund explores the historical nature of self-narrative. Examining over 100 American autobiographers published in the last two centuries, she discusses not only well-known autobiographies such as Mark Twain and Andrew Carnegie but also many obscure ones such as a traveling book peddler, a minstrel, a hotel proprietress, an itinerant preacher, a West Point cadet, and a hoopskirt wire manufacturer. Bjorklund draws on the colorful stories of these autobiographers to show how their historical epoch shapes their understandings of self. "A refreshingly welcome approach to this intriguing topic. . . . [Bjorklund's] extensive and systematic approach to her source material is impressive and enriches our understanding of this essential subject."—Virginia Quarterly Review "Bjorklund studies both famous and obscure writers, and her clear prose style and copious quotations provide insight into the many aspects of the changing American self." —Library Journal |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
Autobiographies as a Source of Data | 8 |
Organization of This Study | 12 |
AUTOBIOGRAPHY AS A SOCIAL SITUATION | 16 |
Interaction with an Audience | 17 |
The Presentation of Self | 20 |
Telling a Story | 37 |
THE SELF AS MORALITY PLAY | 43 |
Historical Background | 90 |
Theory of the Self | 95 |
Telling the Story | 114 |
Conclusion | 121 |
THE BELEAGUERED SELF | 124 |
Historical Background | 126 |
Theory of the Self | 130 |
Telling the Story | 143 |
Historical Background | 44 |
Theory of the Self | 46 |
Telling the Story | 62 |
Conclusion | 64 |
MASTERS OF FATE | 66 |
Historical Background | 67 |
Theory of the Self | 70 |
Telling the Story | 85 |
Conclusion | 86 |
THE UNCERTAIN SELF | 89 |
Other editions - View all
Interpreting the Self: Two Hundred Years of American Autobiography Diane Bjorklund Limited preview - 1998 |
Interpreting the Self: Two Hundred Years of American Autobiography Diane Bjorklund No preview available - 1998 |
Interpreting the Self: Two Hundred Years of American Autobiography Diane Bjorklund No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
actions Agnes Meyer 1953 American autobiographies Andrew Carnegie Andrew Jackson Davis argued auto autobi autobiog believe biography Cambridge Cartwright 1856 character Chicago childhood Clarence Darrow Clarence Darrow 1932 commented concept contrast conversion critic culture described discussion edited emotions example experience explain faculty feelings fiction Freud Furthermore Gertrude Atherton H. L. Mencken human behavior human nature idea individual influence instincts interest interpret James Fagan 1912 John Moody 1933 Lincoln Steffens Lincoln Steffens 1931 lives Ludwig Lewisohn memoir moral mother motivation narrative nineteenth century notion observed ography one's passions persons perspective Peter Cartwright phers psychology published question readers reason Rebecca Harding Davis religious autobiographers religious conversion Richard Robert Bailey Roeliff Brinkerhoff role self-control self-culture self-development self-made sexual Sherwood Anderson social society sociologist sociology story tell term theory thought tion topic truth twentieth century twentieth-century autobiographers unconscious University Press vocabularies William writing wrote York