Final Blog Post

Before taking this class on the “autobiographical impulse” I suppose I had a rather generic view of autobiography. I never really paused to wonder if you could actually define autobiography. Through the course of the semester it has become evident that perhaps autobiography is something that is so complex, and that it would be too difficult to contain within a neat definition. What about those instances when you do not have the pact between the author, the protagonist, and the narrator? How do we translate this to film and art? Even when literature, film, or art is not fully “autobiography,” there can be traces or imprints found of the author, director, or the artist. This is the reason that I decided to use the word “autobiographical” in my research.

Some of the most significant insights for me were found in our readings of Michel Foucault, Roland Barthes, and Jacques Derrida. Foucault gave us a foundation of the history of confession and how this relates to the technology of self. I found his theory on the panopticon rather helpful, as it gave me a visual for understanding the idea of surveillance and how that might be the only time when we are showing our true selves. Barthes’ ideas about autobiography were interesting, as he makes it clear that while we can gain insights about someone’s self, we can never fully know them. This is the idea of the spiral (as opposed to the closed circle), for we can never fully know the truth. His vignettes were examples of what “pricked” him, what was compelling to him. We as his audience are not “pricked” by the same things, so we do not fully understand. I found Derrida’s notions about the ear of the other (having a “keen ear”) and otobiography quite compelling, as I think his theories regarding the signature rather important to my own research on Warhol. It is our job as the reader (of literature or of art) to be responsible readers, and to find the imprint of the author or artist in his or her works. It is also important that the author or artist is responsible in speaking the self in his or her own creations whether it be literature or art.

How have our readings and class discussions affected me in my own speaking of myself and in my own autobiographical practices? I confess that I have never blogged before, and this has been a new venture for me. It is a bit scary to think about how much information is easily accessible online and how much of that information is untrue. I do find myself encountering the autobiographical more often. I find it in my interactions with others, in reading various texts that are not autobiographies, and even in my other classes. I think I encounter the autobiographical more frequently because this class has heightened my awareness of the subject, and my understanding of what “autobiographical” may be has expanded. The autobiographical impulse seems to be innate in everyone. People like to talk about themselves, and even if they do not, imprints of self can be found in what they say and how they say what they say.

What is also interesting is that taking this class and learning theories of autobiography has challenged my view of art as being autobiographical. Yes, art is autobiographical, but where is it located? Where is the signature located? It is not just found in the actual signing of the name by the artist’s hand. It is also not simply found in the subject chosen by the artist. It is also found in the way the artist creates his or her artworks, how he or she cuts up the composition, and what it is about the art that makes it his or her work. This of course brings me back to Derrida’s notions of the signature. Perhaps more than any other theorist, I am taking away Derrida with me. I must confess that I am excited to expand my knowledge of his ideas next semester, and perhaps understand more fully how it relates to my research on Warhol.

These are my reflections upon the autobiographical impulse and the readings we were assigned over the course of the semester. I suppose this assignment is autobiographical in and of itself. These are my own confessions about autobiographical practice. I am leaving my own imprint that one could attempt to locate in the paragraphs of this final blog post. Although at times this class has been challenging, I have enjoyed the challenge and I will take away a new not-so-generic view of autobiography and notions of the autobiographical impulse. Thank you! Amanda Davis