| Abstract [eng] |
Presidential Autobiography of Lithuania: A. Brazauskas, V. Landsbergis, V. Adamkus Summary The master’s thesis is titled „Presidential Autobiography of Lithuania: A. Brazauskas, V. Landsbergis, V. Adamkus“. The research as it could be easily identified by the name of thesis is formulated in the field of presidential studies, narrative analysis, and autobiographical researches. The main aim of in the paper developed analysis is to recreate the common pattern in the presidential narrative of Lithuania generated by winners of presidential elections in year 1993 (Algirdas Brazauskas) and 1998 (Valdas Adamkus). The supporting analysis in narrative of former presidential election candidate Vytautas Landsbergis’s autobiography’s structure is helpful addition to identify the features of precisely the elected president’s individual narratives and what distinguish them from other individual stories constructed by political leaders who never have been elected to presidential position. The structuralist approach of narrative analysis was chosen for interpretation of A. Brazauskas autobiography „Lietuviškos skyrybos“, V. Adamkus „Likimo vardas - Lietuva“, and V. Landsbergis „Lūžis prie Baltijos“. The research instrument was created by slightly expanding Mieke Bal’s research tools for structuralist narrative analysis. All three autobiographical works involved in this analysis were published and used by its author’s special for presidential campaign. According Walter R. Fisher, human beings is firstly Homo narrans and the reality is constructed by narrative structures. That leads to and supports the argument that autobiographical narrative is the only true form for individual to establish himself as individual. Furthermore, in the presidential elections voters are voting for the best possible narrative. In this case the best narrative means the best suiting narrative for future president. Election winning narratives that are fully established in candidates’ autobiographies mirror voters expectations for president. It shows what kind of president is most suitable for voters. In case of Lithuania according to this analysis for the president seat voter chose the best administrator. The president should play a role of objective referee in the political field. Moreover, the president is located over the field of party politics, over the interests of parties and is restricted by his supporters and other political players to get involved in the political action because that will damage the vision of objectivity. Paradoxically, the objective political leader who president should be in the end could be no political leader anymore – he is restricted from political field, nobody is expecting from him to suggest political ideas. He may become reactionary but never a visionary. |
