'Between' and the Neo-Existentialist Bildungsroman

By:
Prof Laurie Petrou
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I aim to demonstrate the way in which a new form of Bildungsroman has adapted early existential characteristics to address the contemporary individual in midlife. I have written a collection of short stories to illustrate the complexities of this phenomena and will analyze my writing through philosophical and cultural theory. The writing of the creative component is an enactment of the philosophical. In "Between" (the book) I hope to capture the private, individual articulation of existential issues such as one’s place in the world, and to offer a new way of looking at the contemporary phenomenon of the midlife Bildungsroman. My creation of a new work that combines both the theoretical and creative is an important contribution to the analysis of not only other creative works, but also the cultural climate of transition and loneliness.


Keywords: Short Fiction, Existentialism, Bildungsroman, Midlife
Stream: Books, Writing and Reading
Presentation Type: 30 minute Paper Presentation in English
Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Prof Laurie Petrou

Assistant Professor, School of Radio and Television Arts, Ryerson University
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA

Laurie is a writer and artist teaching at Ryerson University. She is currently working on a book of short fiction to be published by Pedlar Press. The book coinsides with her current research focus and the completion of her PhD. The focus is on the connection between midlife and traditional Bildungsroman in contemporary fiction and how this suggests a kind of neo-existentialism reflective of a culture of increasing loneliness and individualism. Laurie's book is a creative response to both the theory and practice of such writing. Additionally, as she is an artist/designer, Laurie is interested in graphic novels, and expects to develop one in future. She has a background in the Fine arts and has shown her work in Canada and internationally.

Ref: B06P0024