In many ways, the completeness of biography, the achievement of its professionalization, is an ironic fiction, since no life can ever be known completely, nor would we want to know every fact about an individual. Similarly, no life is ever lived according to aesthetic proportions. The plot of a biography is superficially based on the birth, life, and death of the subject; character, in the vision of the author. Both are as much creations of the biographer, as they are of a novelist. We content ourselves with authorized fictions.
This quote eloquently underscores the inherent limitations and subjective nature of biographical writing. It challenges the notion that biographies can fully encapsulate a person's life, positing instead that they are, at best, carefully constructed narratives shaped by the author’s perspective and choices. The idea that biography is an 'ironic fiction' highlights the paradox: even as the genre strives for accuracy, it inevitably relies on selective storytelling, interpretation, and sometimes embellishment. The comparison of a biography to a novel emphasizes that both are creative endeavors, blending facts with imaginative reconstruction to craft a coherent and compelling narrative. It also implies that the individual’s life lacks a neat symmetry—there is no aesthetic perfection in how lives unfold—and that trying to impose such ideals can distort the truth. Recognizing that both biographer and novelist produce 'authorized fictions' invites us to reconsider our assumptions about authenticity in storytelling. It reminds us that all accounts are inherently partial, constructed through the lens of the author, and filtered through our desire for meaning or coherence. This perspective encourages a nuanced appreciation of biographical works, acknowledging their artistry and subjectivity while remaining aware of their limitations. It also underscores the importance of critical engagement with biographical narratives, understanding that they are interpretive constructs rooted in both factual memory and creative expression.
