Aesthetics of Scarcity: Autofiction, Minimalism, and Fragmented Subjectivity

This paper explores the intricate relationship between autofiction, minimalism, and fragmented subjectivity, positing that an "aesthetics of scarcity" emerges from their intersection. Autofiction, a genre blending autobiography and fiction, often employs minimalist strategies to depict a self that is not unitary but rather fragmented and elusive. This scarcity manifests not only in the paring down of narrative elements and stylistic economy characteristic of minimalism but also in the deliberate omission, ambiguity, and self-effacement that underscore the difficulty of constructing a cohesive self-narrative. The study argues that the minimalist impulse in autofiction serves to highlight the inherent fragmentation of contemporary subjectivity, challenging traditional notions of a fixed identity. By analyzing key textual examples, we demonstrate how this aesthetic of scarcity functions as both a formal device and a thematic exploration, inviting readers to engage actively in the co-creation of meaning while simultaneously confronting the limits of self-knowledge and narrative coherence. This approach offers a novel perspective on how literary form reflects and shapes our understanding of selfhood in an increasingly complex world.