A large body of literary criticism debates the
documentary
value of the memoir as a genre. Most
critics agree that a creative process is involved. Using Maksim
Gor&soft;kij's memoir of Leonid Andreev (1871–1919), this paper
examines the way in which memoir writing may reveal as much (or more)
about the writer than his subject.
In 1922 Maksim Gor&soft;kij oversaw the publication of
recollections of Andreev by famous Russian literary figures. This
book, codifying
the
official image of Andreev.
Of particular academic interest is Gor&soft;kij's own memoir of
Andreev in the
In this paper I will examine Gor&soft;kij's memoir in detail and
argue that the break in their relationship and the resulting memoir
have less to do with differing political and literary views (as
usually suggested) and more to do with a basic incompatibility as
individuals and friends. Therefore, the memoir is filtered through
Gor&soft;kij's personal expectations and his inability to accept
Andreev as is,
resulting in an overall negative
presentation of his former friend. This approach will both elucidate
the complex relationship between these two major figures and add to
our knowledge of how literary iconographies develop.