Self-insertion

Self-insertion is a literary device in which a fictional character, who represents the real author of a work of fiction, appears as an idealized character within that fiction, either overtly or in disguise.[1]

Sandro Botticelli's painting of the Adoration of the Magi has an inserted self-portrait at the far right: the position in the corner and the gaze out to the viewer are very typical of such self-portraits.

In art, the equivalent is the inserted self-portrait, where the artist includes a self-portrait in a painting of a narrative subject. This has been a common artistic device since at least the European Renaissance.

Related concepts

This literary device should not be confused with a first-person narrator, an author surrogate, or a character somewhat based on the author, whether the author included it intentionally or not. Many characters have been described as unintentional self-insertions, implying that their author is unconsciously using them as an author surrogate.

Examples

• The Razor's Edge by Somerset Maugham.
• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut[2][3]
• Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
• The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles[4]
• Stan Lee in different Marvel comic books and movies
• Clive Cussler, author of Dirk Pitt novels, has inserted himself as a deus ex machina character in several of his books.[5]
• Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais, in the chapter "How Pantagruel with his tongue covered a whole army, and what the author saw in his mouth"
• Milton: A Poem in Two Books by William Blake
• The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
• Randolph Carter in H.P. Lovecraft tales
• The title character of the Rush Revere series by Rush Limbaugh
• Bella Swan in the Twilight novel series by Stephenie Meyer
• I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
• Homestuck by Andrew Hussie
• JPod by Douglas Coupland
• The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah by Stephen King
• A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
• The Map and the Territory by Michel Houellebecq
• Luke Skywalker in Star Wars by George Lucas
• Calvin's dad in Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson[6]

See also

• Cameo appearance
• Self-parody
• Self-reference
• Mary Sue

References

1. Goetz, Sharon K. (1 April 2010). Terminus: Collected Papers on Harry Potter, 7-11 August 2008. Lulu.com. pp. 516–. ISBN 9780982680704. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
2. Mason, Fran (2009). The A to Z of Postmodernist Literature and Theater. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 338–. ISBN 9780810868557. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
3. Klinkowitz, Jerome (1992). Structuring the Void: The Struggle for Subject in Contemporary American Fiction. Duke University Press. pp. 52–. ISBN 9780822312055. Retrieved 22 September 2014.
4. The Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
5. "Dirk Pitt Revealed | An Official Web Site for Bestselling Adventure Novelist | Author Clive Cussler".
6. The complete Calvin and Hobbes Book One Introduction