Writing the Self

This course investigates self-centered forms like autobiography, autofiction, the confession, the memoir, the diary, and forms that many writers have used to explore the self, including lyric poetry, correspondence, bande-dessinée, essay, travel narrative, fragment, interview, etc. Through canonical and lesser-known works written in French from the 18th century to today, we will seek to answer the questions: How does one preserve one's own personhood, memories, identity, and experiences in writing? Which techniques have writers used to do so? How has self-writing changed over time?