Stereotypes and the autobiography of a fictional author: Helen Demidenko's ethnic performance in the light of her short story “other places”

Abstract

Helen Darville's performance as Helen Deraidenko caused a major literary scandal in Australia in 1995. Her fictional identity went beyond a pseudonym or a persona and included an ethnically categorised bodily representation. Her performance relied upon self‐categorisation processes as much as upon outgroup and ingroup stereotyping. The former shows in her short story's depiction of ethnic minority life in contemporary Australia, a depiction for which Demidenko claimed autobiographic authenticity, and which she additionally used to vindicate her controversial novel. The latter can be traced in responses towards her texts as well as her performance, across political affiliations and both by so‐called ‘genuine’ ethnics and the Australian cultural mainstream.

Key words:

• Demidenko
• fictional identity
• literary hoax