Abstract
Reinhard Jirgl’s Abtrünnig: Roman aus der nervösen Zeit is an aesthetically complex text which explores the function of autobiographical self-reflection through fictional means. Its protagonist and narrator tells the story of his own frustration and failure, a story which appears inevitably to end in violence. However, the structure of the text, which incorporates various Internet-style ‘links’, ultimately offers the reader two possibilities: to circle endlessly within the novel in the hope that the narrator’s story might somehow be read in such a way as to produce a more positive outcome; or, like the narrator himself, to step outside of the story, liberating themselves from a world which ultimately cannot be redeemed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Self in Transition: East German Autobiographical Writing Before and After Unification |
| Subtitle of host publication | Essays in Honour of Dennis Tate |
| Editors | David Clarke, Axel Goodbody |
| Place of Publication | Amsterdam, Holland |
| Publisher | Rodopi |
| Pages | 241-252 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9789042035935 |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Publication series
| Name | German Monitor |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Rodopi |
| Volume | 75 |
Keywords
- German literature
- life-writing
- Reinhard Jirgl
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Clarke, D. J. (2012). 'Wer schreibt, kann nicht töten': Writing and Life in Reinhard Jirgl’s Abtrünning: Roman aus der nervösen Zeit. In D. Clarke, & A. Goodbody (Eds.), The Self in Transition: East German Autobiographical Writing Before and After Unification: Essays in Honour of Dennis Tate (pp. 241-252). (German Monitor; Vol. 75). Rodopi.