Pseudo-Memoirs: Life and Its Imitation in Modern Fiction

Pseudo-memoirs redefine fiction by focusing on the subjectivity of consciousness, which generates the plausibility of the story. They reveal the idealist premises that fuel the novel and guarantee its truth, even when it remains an invention of the imagination.

Format: Hardback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 01 July 2021
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

Pseudo-memoirs redefine the very concept of fiction, a genre that has often been perceived solely in terms of its ability to create a deceptive sense of reality. Rochelle Tobias contends that the authenticity of a novel stems not from its objective portrayal but rather from the subjective foundation upon which it is built. What lends fiction its plausibility is not the referential accuracy of its depictions but rather the intentionality of consciousness.

Edmund Husserl, in his pioneering work, developed the notion that consciousness is inherently intentional, meaning it is always directed outward, towards something that it does not merely perceive but rather constitutes as an object. Pseudo-memoirs exemplify the profound implications of this perspective through their dual structure, as both the tale of their own telling and the fabrication of life-writing. By unveiling this double structure, pseudo-memoirs expose the intricate mechanics of fiction's construction while simultaneously highlighting the idealist premises that fuel the novel and ensure its truth, even when it remains a product of the imagination.

In her exploration of novels by renowned authors such as Thomas Mann, Robert Walser, Thomas Bernhard, and W. G. Sebald, Rochelle Tobias aligns them with philosophical and theoretical texts by figures like René Descartes, Husserl, Friedrich Nietzsche, György Łukács, Roland Barthes, and Maurice Blanchot. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between fiction and philosophy, shedding light on the complex mechanisms that shape the narrative and the philosophical underpinnings that support its authenticity. Through her meticulous analysis, Tobias demonstrates how pseudo-memoirs not only redefine the boundaries of literature but also offer a profound reflection on the nature of consciousness, perception, and the construction of reality.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780803215924