«Zlomky nepravého deníku» and «Postřádečky» – on two contemporary literary ego-documentaries

Abstract

This analysis and interpretation of quasi-diaristic records by two literary historians categorizes these works as fictional and artistic texts within an external diarist framework. Drawing on literary theory and an extensive knowledge of the domestic genre tradition, the study highlights the fundamental features and transformations of a genre whose current state is defined specifically by Zlomky nepravého deníku and Postřádečky. The research reveals the essence of literariness within the creative strategies of Vladimír Novotný and Hana Sánerová, while delineating the differences between their distinct authorial identities. The study interprets Sánerová as a representative of the ego-document, gravitating toward prose on the boundary between philosophical essayism and novelistic autobiography. In contrast, Novotný represents a pole where the degree of fiction and literariness is primarily determined by the specific selection, sequencing, and stylistic presentation, as well as the evaluation of the (quasi-)objects presented.