Is there “sincerity” in the literary imagery of Mircea Cărtărescu’s novel Solenoid?
Is there “sincerity” in the literary imagery of Mircea Cărtărescu’s novel Solenoid?

Summary/Abstract: Sincerity is a highly esteemed ethical value in contemporary societies. However, it is not to be confused with authenticity, as both have different ethical premises, artistic performances, and social implications. In this article, I try to outline the difference between the categories of “sincerity” and “authenticity” and, on this basis, to present their literary representation in the novel Solenoid by the contemporary Romanian author Mircea Cărtărescu. His work, although largely reflexive, is characterized by an immense imaginative, surrealistic interweaving of dream and reality, expressed through an almost “baroque” imagery and a language rich in metaphors. To what extent and in what ways can such a stylized mode of writing express sincerity? In seeking an answer to this question, I also take into account different types of epitexts (the author’s diaries, essays and interviews).

• Details
• Contents