Meta-Diary

## Thematic Tag: Meta-Diary

This thematic tag collects diary paragraphs where Marie writes about the diary itself — the act of writing, her reasons for keeping a journal, reflections on what she has written, and self-conscious commentary on the text as object.

## Marie's Self-Reflection on Writing

Marie frequently steps back from narrating her life to comment on the narration itself: - *"Mon journal" / "ce journal" — referring to the diary as entity - "Ce cahier" / "ce carnet" — the physical notebook - "J'ecris" / "en ecrivant" — the act of writing - "Ces pages" / "ces lignes" — the text she is producing - "Relire"* — re-reading previous entries, commenting on her past self

## Functions of Meta-Commentary

- *Self-justification: Why she writes, why the diary matters - Quality control: Dissatisfaction with her own writing, wishing she could express herself better - Continuity: Noting gaps, explaining why she hasn't written - Retrospection: Re-reading old entries and commenting on her younger self - The diary as companion*: In loneliness and illness, the journal becomes her confidant

## Significance

The meta-diary passages transform Marie's journal from a simple record of events into a self-aware literary project. She treats the diary not merely as a receptacle for thoughts but as a work in progress, subject to the same critical scrutiny she applies to her paintings. This reflexivity — writing about writing — gives the diary its distinctive layered quality.