Fictionalizing Memoirs: A Study of Autofiction in Jenny Offill’s Weather
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25130/Lang.9.3.P3.12Keywords:
Autofiction, Jenny Offill, memoir, WeatherAbstract
Literature is a subject of continuous additions and developments. Throughout its history, many new genres appeared to satisfy the needs of the readers who seek novel creations in this magnificent field. One of these genres in this age is autofiction. It refers to works which deal with the author’s own life but re-written with imagination, or in other words, with recreation of the author’s real experience. The present research attempts to shed light upon autofiction. This paper handles Jenny Offill's Weather. The study is divided into three sections and a conclusion. Section one deals with the introduction which handles autofiction as a hybrid genre that blends autobiography with fiction. Also it highlights the ability of this genre to offer more creative and critical potential. The second section deals with the history and characteristics of aotufiction, tracing its development from Serge Doubrovsky's original concept to its postmodern and multimedia expressions. It shows the importance of autofiction in emphasizing the silenced voices, serving as a means of self-exploration and social critique. This section also clarifies how autofiction differentiates itself from memoir, autobiography, and biography, by offering more narrative independence and ambiguity. The final section adopts a theoretical framework through which Weather is examined, focusing on Offill's distinctive narrative method and her application of autofictional strategies. The paper concludes by summarizing the key findings of the study.
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