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A small snapshot of the beautiful moments and everything in-between

‘Dear Diary’: The Power of The

Unique Literary Genre
ON SEP 2, 2020 / BY LIFEOFBECKYC / IN LITERATURE

Most of us at some point in our lives have probably kept a diary or

journal of some sort, either from a young age detailing school days or
later into adolescence and present day. I recently discovered my old
diaries from when I was ages 10-13, whilst amusing reliving moments
from my younger self, (mainly what I ate and who my current best friend
was!), it made me question the power of the written journal. As the
historian, David Ransel discusses, that in the end, the diary has not been
https://lifeofbeckyc.com/2020/09/02/dear­diary­the­power­of­the­unique­literary­genre/

historian, David Ransel discusses, that in the end, the diary has not been
Follow
used for “facts”, but for the “reconstruction of the social meaning of
recorded daily routines, and, through, them, for a glimpse into the social and
[1]
emotional world inhabited by the diarist.”  So, just as the signi몭cance of
your own personal diary can be used to re몭ect on your own self-growth,
by reading other people’s intimate papers it provides potential historical
as well as literary value.  

The word ‘diary’ derives from the Latin meaning ‘day’ and it 몭rst came to
the scene in the Medieval era, when they were used by mystics to record
spiritual interpretations of daily events.[2] Fast forward to the
Renaissance, where people began keeping diaries as a way to express
opinions without any intentions of one day publishing their writings. As
literacy rates rose, and the cost of paper dropped, and people became
more aware of the self, diarising quickly became more popular at the
beginning of the 18th Century. This progression in diarising, and
therefore its growing prestige in becoming a genre, means that there is a
distinctive narrative form that writers and readers alike associate with
the word “diary”. From the English “diary,” or “journal,” German
“Tagebuch,” French “journal”, and Russian “dnevnik” they all share similar
characteristics and scholars have read, and used, diaries as historical
authentication, evidence into social life or as an autobiographical
document. Focusing on what the diarist relates about his daily life,
possessions bought and gifted, visits paid and received, births, illness
and deaths it allows scholars, historians and ordinary observers, the
chance to follow patterns of social advancement, social and emotional
interaction and class systems. 
https://lifeofbeckyc.com/2020/09/02/dear­diary­the­power­of­the­unique­literary­genre/

Whilst the diary can provide information concerning the bigger picture, in
a way the diary is with us all, as an idea, project or stream of
consciousness, which is instantly attainable. It is arguably one of the
most 몭exible and elastic literary genres; yet we are all so familiar with it
that we hardly even include in our assessment of important literary
forms. Unconsciously, the diary is “easy”, “informal”, something we take
for granted, something that “sheds light” on a famous writer, painter or
philosopher after their death – but more often than not, there is much to
learn from seemingly simple personal accounts. We might be tempted as
Bruce Merry explains, to believe that, “all other literary forms are bound to
the age and habits of the period which produced them, but the diary stands
outside these constraints”, as it is a “personal dialogue between the writer
[3]
and his private persona”. By lying outside these “constraints” , it gives the
diarist the chance to discuss anything outside of the push and pull of
editorial fashion. A raw, unedited view of history instead of the selective
teachings of many history books. 

One of the earliest examples is the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, a

Roman Emperor who lived in 2nd Century AD. Without any intention of
publication, these diaries o몭er a remarkable series of challenging
spiritual re몭ections and exercises which have been consulted and
admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers throughout the centuries.
There are many important lessons to be learnt, most of which are still
relevant today. Such as “the universe is change, life is an opinion”, and “you
have the power over your mind, not outside events. Realise this and you 몭nd
strength.” Marcus Aurelius’ thoughts, just like any diarist, deals with the
past whilst simultaneously interacting with the present. The diary also
prepares for a space for the unknown future, one which allows you to
re몭ect, build and dream of plans and inevitable change. It improves self-
https://lifeofbeckyc.com/2020/09/02/dear­diary­the­power­of­the­unique­literary­genre/

re몭ect, build and dream of plans and inevitable change. It improves self-
awareness, relieves anxiety, aids your memory and builds your writing
skills; e몭ects that even the most famous diarists, such as Anne Frank,
Samuel Pepys, Marie Curie and Captain Scott most likely will have felt. 

The power of the diary means that even exceptional circumstances can
be understood, in May 1941, Lena Mukhina’s writings[4] recount exactly
that – an ordinary teenage girl, living in Leningrad, worrying about her
homework, when on the 22nd June 1941, Hitler broke his pact with Stalin
and declared war on the Soviet Union. All too soon, Lena’s life was turned
upside down, and her diaries provide historians with an invaluable look
into the realities and horrors of war. By viewing the diary as an empty
vessel, the writer invests meaning onto the blank pages – a generic
medium that gives distinctive shape to the experience it records. Just as
Lena’s world is brought to life as she recounts her journey, her diary is
bound by basic epistemological categories applied to human experience:
subjectivity and temporality. Simply, we should take all diary entries with
a pinch of salt. Perhaps the best way to learn from the diary, is as Irina
Paperno from the Russian Review comments, “the diary is best read not as
[5]
a book with a beginning and end, but as a process.”  Through learning we
can begin our own journey, and the diary gives us the 몭exibility to just
write – enjoy the process, and who knows maybe one day it will provide
st
https://lifeofbeckyc.com/2020/09/02/dear­diary­the­power­of­the­unique­literary­genre/

invaluable insight into life in the 21st century. 

Mukhina has been called a ‘Russian Anne Frank’

Pan MacMillan. ‘History’s Greatest Diaries’, April 2016.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/blogs/history/historical-diaries-war-history-journal.

Merry, Bruce. ‘The Literary Diary as a Genre’. Faculty of Arts, Celtic Studies & Philosophy
NUIM, The Maynooth Review, Vol.5, no. No.1 (May 1979): 3–9.

Paperno, Irina. ‘The Russian Review’. Wiley Vol.63, no. No.4 (October 2004): 13.

Welsch, Colleen. ‘The History of the Diary, the Original Blog’. The Old Timey, 5 July 2017.
https://theoldtimey.com/history-of-the-diary/.

[1] Paperno, ‘The Russian Review’.

[2]
 Welsch, ‘The History of the Diary, the Original Blog’.

[3]
 Merry, ‘The Literary Diary as a Genre’.

[4] ‘History’s Greatest Diaries’.

[5] Paperno, ‘The Russian Review’.

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2 thoughts on “‘Dear Diary’: The Power of

The Unique Literary Genre”

Silver Screenings

Thanks for sharing this history of the diary.

I always laugh at the quote attributed to Zsa Zsa Gabor:

“Keep a diary and one day it will keep you.”

 Like
 SEP 13, 2020 AT 1:03 PM
 REPLY
https://lifeofbeckyc.com/2020/09/02/dear­diary­the­power­of­the­unique­literary­genre/

lifeofbeckyc

I like that, one to bear in mind de몭nitely!

 Liked by 1 person
 SEP 13, 2020 AT 1:23 PM
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