Charles Ritchie and the English diary tradition / by Pat Barclay. --

The literary merit of the diaries of Charles Ritchie is
\napparent to anyone who reads them. A more critical assessment is
\nhindered, however, by the fact that there is as yet in Canada no
\nliterary context in which the writings of any indigenous diarists may
\nbe placed. In order to assess the literary merit of the diaries of
\nCharles Ritchie, therefore, this thesis examines them in relation to
\nthe "conceptual perspectives" for English diary-writing as established
\nin Private Chronicles; A Study of English Diaries, by Robert A.
\nFothergill of York University in Toronto. The introduction presents
\nthe case for such an examination and outlines the history of the
\nEnglish diary tradition and the scope of Fothergill's study. Chapter
\nOne defines the criteria which Fothergill believes have been developed
\nfor the diary genre by the "great" diarists themselves, and which are
\nbased on the two complementary concepts of "book of the self" and
\n"imprint." These two concepts are then applied to the writings of
\nCharles Ritchie, and his use of "new forms" containing "new expressive
\npossibilities" is described. Various motives for diary-writing are
\ndiscussed in Chapter Two, in relation to the discernable motives of
\nCharles Ritchie. Chapters Three and Four divide the four volumes of
\nRitchie's diary into two distinct parts, with Chapter Three discussing
\nthe two earlier diaries as the work of a "Becoming" diarist, and
\nChapter Four treating the two later volumes as the work of a diarist who has "Become". Ritchie's "autobiographical consciousness" is the
\nsubject of Chapter Five, which asserts his claim to the title of
\n"serial autobiographer." Chapter Six looks at Ritchie?s contribution
\nto the "history of 'sensibility'" and shows how his particular
\nsensibility reflects not only the age in which he lives, but also his
\nNova Scotian Canadian identity. This study concludes by determining
\nthat Charles Ritchie is a "serial autobiographer" with creative
\n"sensibilities," who has found a "new form containing new expressive
\npossibilities." As such, he deserves an honoured place in the English
\ndiary tradition and membership in that company of "great" diarists
\nwhich includes such distinguished peers as Samuel Pepys and Anais Nin.

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