| Abstract [eng] |
This Master thesis investigates the self-representation strategies of contemporary Lithuanian writers through the theoretical lens of Pierre Bourdieu’s sociology of literature. Bourdieu’s framework enables a deeper analysis of the contemporary Lithuanian literary field and the traditions surrounding the construction of the writer’s public persona. The primary aim of the study is to examine how a writer’s self-representation affects their position within the literary field. This influence is assessed by analyzing the self-representation, habitus, and accumulated social, cultural, and symbolic capital of four selected authors: Gabija Grušaitė, Rimantas Kmita, Eglė Frankonė-Frank, and Virginija Kulvinskaitė-Cibarauskė. The focus on writers active within the past five years underscores both the novelty and relevance of the research. The thesis explores the means by which contemporary writers construct their public image, as well as the writers’ own interpretations of self-representation, revealing the complexity of the literary field. While self-expression evolves in tandem with broader societal changes, it is nevertheless constrained by prevailing norms within the field and by the judgments of agents occupying dominant positions. Notably, the authors examined in this study hold differing positions within the literary field. By analyzing the self-representation strategies employed by Grušaitė, Kmita, Frankonė-Frank, and Kulvinskaitė-Cibarauskė, as well as the responses of field agents to these strategies, the thesis argues that a writer’s public persona significantly influences the reception and evaluation of their literary work. In seeking to establish themselves within the field, literary agents must consider that their participation in cultural events, appearances on radio and television, interviews in the press, and personal expressions on social media can all materially affect their symbolic and cultural capital. Furthermore, self-representation, particularly on social media, may be regarded as a form of literary marketing and a deliberate strategy for accumulating economic capital. However, such efforts are often met with skepticism or ambivalence by other actors in the Lithuanian literary field. A writer’s chosen strategy of self-representation, and the manner in which it is enacted, can generate public approval and lead to increased economic capital, but may also provoke critical backlash or negatively influence the reception of their work. In some cases, self-representation that diverges from field norms may result in symbolic exclusion from the literary field. Writers who cultivate their public image through traditional means and maintain a distance from social media may be more favorably received than those who are visibly active on digital platforms. |
