(AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FICTION) Lavengro by George Borrow

THEORY

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FICTION

- It incorporates the author's own experience into the narrative.

-It allows the author to both rely and reflect on their own experience. However, the reading of autobiographical fiction need not always be associated with the author himself, rather can be treated as distinct fictional works.

TITLE | AUTHOR

LAVENGRO BY GEORGE BORROW

SYNOPSIS

Its protagonist, whose name is never mentioned, is born the son of an officer in a militia regiment and is brought up in various barrack towns in England, Scotland and Ireland. After serving an apprenticeship to a lawyer he moves to London and becomes a Grub Streethack, an occupation which gives him ample opportunities to observe London low-life. Finally he takes to the road as a tinker. At various points through the book he associates with Romany travellers, of whom he gives memorable and generally sympathetic pen-portraits.

Lavengro was followed by a sequel, The Romany Rye. However, neither of the two books are self-contained. Rather, Lavengro ends abruptly with chapter 100, and carries on directly in the The Romney Rye. Thus both need to be read together, in order.

ANALYSIS

It could be considered as an autobiographical fiction in a way it is written by the author. 

Honestly, the book is impossible to classify because it is taken in the form of autobiography yet it has fictional elements. But I think it is a good idea to come up with mix fact and fiction cause it enables the reader to go beyond what they see in reality. It's truly incredible how Borrow see the world ~

I suggest you to read the three novels in order to know the real story and fully appreciate the work because some scenes that seemed to be escaped has been revealed on the other books.