Writing against the Fears: On Pandemic Diaries; 2020–2022
Wojciech KUDYBA
Katedra Polskiej Literatury Współczesnej i Krytyki Literackiej, Instytut Literaturoznawstwa, Faculty of Humanities, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, ul. Dewajtis 5, 01-815 Warszawa, Poland , Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5868-3850
Abstract
The analysis of selected pandemic diaries of Polish writers carried out in the article has shown that they are representative of the genre of either the intellectual diary or the journal intime (intimate diary). In the former case, the authors, rather than focusing on the personal element, tend to describe collective fears and reflect on the condition of the world and its ruling principles. Thus, they strive to outline a general, synthetic and objective picture of reality. The diaries representing the genre of journal intime in turn comprise introspective pieces, occasionally turning out a form of psychotherapy to the authors. The value of intimate diaries lies in the spontaneity of the emotions they convey and in the sincerity of their authors, who describe their own fears and traumas, as well as the effort to overcome them, which not infrequently results in a change of perspective on themselves and reality.
Keywords:
pandemic, intellectual journal, personal journal, scriptotherapyKatedra Polskiej Literatury Współczesnej i Krytyki Literackiej, Instytut Literaturoznawstwa, Faculty of Humanities, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, ul. Dewajtis 5, 01-815 Warszawa, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5868-3850
