talo Calvinomise en abîme: “E io, chi ero?”

Abstract

In Italo Calvino's work, both in his clearly autobiographical texts and in his fictional ones, a tendency towards self-representation can be observed. But, in addition, the author ofPalomarextendsthis practice to a third type of writing, which is the essay. We believe that he appeals to this last genre to sustain and build his own image as a writer, through the opinion he displays on other authors, who would function as amise en abîmeof his own image. To develop the conjecture raised above, we build the category of 'self-figurational moment' or‘moment of self-figuration’, which is an adaptation and synthesis of the concepts of Paul de Man and José Amícola. The non-fictional writings cover a period from 1955 to 1960, a critical moment for Calvino as far as his own image as a writer is concerned. We will work with a corpus of essays that are notably representative of that period: “La espina dorsal” (1955), written at a timeof crisis as a writer although successful in his work as critic and editor of Einaudi; "Pavese ser y hacer" from 1960, given the key importance that this author had in his formation: and finally we will analyze"El mar de la objetividad", from that same year,which isan essay that preludes his Frenchperiodand where he accentuates his interest in the rational