Articles WRITING AS THERAPY AND MEANING IN OUR PREVIOUS LIFE BY ANNE-SOPHIE BRASME (2014)

Abstract

Background. The article regards specifics of a fictional narrative on trauma from the perspective of self-writing by a fictional character. Based on a range of concepts of storytelling as a means of constructing one's identity, an instrument of dealing with posttraumatic consequences, and a form of recovering memory lacunes, formulated by literary critics (Ph. Lejeune, J. Derrida, J. Pavlenko), philosophers (P. Ricoeur), as well as sociologists (J.-C. Kaufmann, A. Giddens), it has been attempted to analyze self-writing strategies as a psychanalytical quest performed by characters in a novel by a contemporary French writer Anne-Sophie Brasme Our previous life (2014). Several conclusions have been made on therapeutic, cathartic, and cognitive impacts within different types of self-writing strategies of the female protagonist (namely, diary and novels by her). Methods. The study primarily aims to integrate the concept of narrative identity proposed by a French philosopher Paul Ricoeur who conceives narrative as an instrument of overcoming the gap between basic philosophical categories, in particular selfhood and identity, as well as apply it in relation to the construction of the narrative identity of the heroine-writer, who experiences deep trauma throughout her life. The analysis of the work uses the personal concept of the French sociologist J.-K. Kaufmann, for whom the narrative in the light of writing about oneself is not only a powerful means of storytelling, but also a tool of for building life perspective through making key choices suggested by narration on oneself. These concepts are revealed on the example of the mechanics of writing on oneself of the main character of the novel chosen for analysis against the background of theses assumed by Philip Lejeune, Jacques Derrida, and Anthony Giddens. Results. The study aims to reveal the life path of the female heroine as a writer, who chooses writing as a way of both escaping from reality and experiencing her trauma be rediscovering it throughout writing about traumatic past. It is concluded that as the heroine thrives towards her past, whereas a clearer perspective of her present and future is built, where writing on oneself appears as a precious key guide between those opposed layers of her hearting psyche. Conclusion. Based on the results of the research, several generalizations are made allowing us to reveal the therapeutic and meaning-making role of artistic writing as a powerful mean of living deeply traumatic experience.