Describing the self through the photographic medium: the autobiographic fictions of John M. Coetzee, Roland Barthes and Edward Said

Abstract

The present study investigates the different approaches to autobiography of three writers – John M. Coetzee, Edward Said and Roland Barthes – who are divided by background and historical circumstances but share the terrain of postcolonial and postmodern theory. In particular, the focus is on the use they make of photographs – real or evoked – that accompany their personal accounts. Using photography as a counterpoint and a parallel to autobiography, they all try and come to terms with issues of subjectivity, representation and authenticity. As a result, their life-long convictions will be challenged by the power of memory, leaving way to a renewed sense of self.