Genre, tradition and renewal: Animal autobiography and poetics of the multicentric self

Animal autobiography, a genre exploring the lives of animals through a first-person narrative, has faced challenges due to the epistemological limitations of animals as autobiographers. Despite these constraints, the genre has evolved, notably with Anna Sewell's *Black Beauty* (1877), which significantly impacted the animal rights movement through its depiction of animal suffering. The genre often utilizes anthropomorphism, attributing human traits to animals, to facilitate reader empathy and understanding of animal perspectives. However, this raises ethical and epistemological questions about the balance between animal agency and human authorship, and the authenticity of animal experiences within a literary framework. This paper investigates the conventionalization and renewal of animal autobiography, exploring how animal selfhood is constructed to represent a range of autobiographical experiences. It analyzes the representational strategies employed in classic and contemporary animal autobiographies, focusing on the interplay between fact and fiction, and the genre's increasing anti-anthropocentric purpose. The study draws upon autofiction/autobiography studies and literary animal studies, ultimately proposing a "poetics of the multicentric self" to better understand the complexities of the genre.

Existing scholarship on animal autobiography often centers on the thematic child-animal analogy and the implied structural suppression of marginalized groups. Studies explore the ethical and pedagogical implications of assuming animal perspectives, examining whether anthropomorphic writing can genuinely represent non-human subjectivity. The "tragedy of language" (Weil, 2012), highlighting the inherent limitations of human understanding of animal consciousness, is a recurring theme. Scholars debate the genre's position within autobiography studies, with some considering it a "quasi-concept" due to the human authorship involved, and others exploring it through the lens of autofiction. The concept of critical anthropomorphism, involving objective observation and careful consideration of animal individuality, is also examined as a narrative approach that avoids simplistic, sentimental representations. The role of witnessing animal suffering and the "ethics of witness" in human-animal relations is highlighted as crucial to the genre's ethical-aesthetic entanglement. The study builds upon these existing discussions by focusing on the dynamic interplay of different selves within the narrative, bridging the gap between fact and fiction, and foregrounding the authorial process of translating animal experience into literature.

This study employs a close reading approach to analyze three representative works: Dorothy Kilner's *The Life and Perambulations of a Mouse* (1784), Anna Sewell's *Black Beauty* (1877), and Katherine Applegate's *The One and Only Ivan* (2012). The analysis focuses on the narrative strategies employed in each text to construct animal selfhood and autobiographical experience. The study examines how multi-scaled perceptions, critical anthropomorphism, and an ethics of witness are used to create a sense of animal subjectivity. *The Life and Perambulations of a Mouse* serves as a foundational text illustrating the genre's basic strategies, while *Black Beauty* exemplifies the genre's potential for social critique and ethical engagement. *The One and Only Ivan*, a contemporary work, demonstrates the genre's capacity for renewal and adaptation to changing social contexts. The analysis draws on relevant theoretical frameworks from autofiction/autobiography studies, literary animal studies, and Derrida's concepts from "The Animal that Therefore I Am" to develop the concept of the "poetics of the multicentric self". This framework considers the interplay between the first-person narrator's authenticity, autofiction, literary authority, and the increasingly prominent anti-anthropocentric purposes of the genre.

The analysis reveals several key narrative strategies used in animal autobiography: 1. **Multi-scaled perceptions of an autofictional self:** Animal autobiographies often present a multifaceted self, blending fictional elements with real-life inspiration, creating a hybrid identity that oscillates between animal and human perspectives. This is evident in *The One and Only Ivan*, where Ivan's multiple names and experiences in captivity and eventual release highlight his complex selfhood. 2. **Critical anthropomorphism:** The use of anthropomorphism is crucial, but it needs to be "critical." This involves careful observation of animal behavior and a respect for animal individuality, avoiding simplistic or sentimental representations. Kilner's *The Life and Perambulations of a Mouse* shows how anthropomorphism can be employed to convey moral lessons while also respecting the animal's inherent nature. 3. **Ethics of witness:** The portrayal of animal suffering often serves as a catalyst for ethical reflection and action. *Black Beauty*, through its vivid depiction of cruelty towards working animals, functions as a form of testimony and witness, prompting readers to empathize with animal experiences and consider their ethical responsibility towards them. 4. **Genre Renewal:** Contemporary animal autobiographies, like *The One and Only Ivan*, showcase the genre's capacity for renewal. By addressing issues like species extinction and the impact of declining biodiversity, Applegate's novel expands the genre's thematic scope and ethical considerations. 5. **Multicentric Self:** The study proposes the concept of a "multicentric self" to better understand the complex interactions between animal and human perspectives in the genre. This framework acknowledges the intertwined nature of the animal's authenticity, the author's autofictional creation, and the literary authority of the first-person narrative. It highlights the genre's power to challenge anthropocentrism and foster a greater understanding of animal subjectivity.

The findings suggest that animal autobiography is a dynamic genre that continually negotiates the boundaries between fact and fiction, human and animal perspectives. The use of anthropomorphism, while essential to the genre, requires careful consideration to avoid simplistic or patronizing representations of animals. The ethical dimension of the genre, highlighted through the "ethics of witness," underscores the responsibility of authors and readers to engage critically with animal narratives. The concept of the "multicentric self" provides a valuable framework for understanding the multifaceted nature of animal selfhood within the literary context, emphasizing the interplay between the animal's lived experience, the author's creative choices, and the reader's interpretation. The analysis demonstrates how contemporary animal autobiographies, such as *The One and Only Ivan*, can expand the genre's thematic scope and promote a more nuanced and ethical understanding of the human-animal relationship. The study contributes to the ongoing discussions surrounding animal studies, literature, and ethics.

This study contributes to the field of literary animal studies by providing a nuanced analysis of animal autobiography's narrative strategies, ethical implications, and potential for renewal. The concept of the "poetics of the multicentric self" offers a framework for understanding the complex interplay of human and animal perspectives within the genre. Future research could explore the genre's cross-cultural variations, its potential for environmental activism, and its evolving relationship with technological advancements, such as AI-generated narratives.

This study focuses on a limited number of texts, primarily from English-language literature. A broader cross-cultural analysis could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the genre's variations and complexities. While the concept of the "multicentric self" offers a new framework for analysis, further theoretical development and empirical research are needed to fully explore its implications. The study primarily uses literary analysis and does not incorporate empirical data from animal behavior studies, which could offer further insights into the accuracy and validity of the anthropomorphic representations.