meaning of “ourselves writing”

Question

Does “ourselves writing” here mean "our attempt to write" or "writing about ourselves"? I think the former. What's your idea?

"... as Catherine Belsey observes, a self-reflexive affirmation of “ourselves writing” in defiance of the limitations imposed by culture."

GPY · Accepted Answer

"ourselves writing" refers to an act of writing that is performed by ourselves. It cannot mean "writing about ourselves". It does not in itself have any sense of "attempt".

CalifJim · Answer

red apple"... as Catherine Belsey observes, a self-reflexive affirmation of “ourselves writing” in defiance of the limitations imposed by culture."

Was 'ourselves writing' in quotes in the original text? If not, then you should not write it like that in your question. It just misleads us into accepting as correct what you have parsed incorrectly. Not having the first part of the sentence, I'll have to resort to guessing it goes like this:

a self-reflexive affirmation of ourselves || (?by / ?who are) writing in defiance ...

CJ

GPY · Answer

CalifJimWas 'ourselves writing' in quotes in the original text?

I took the precaution of checking this, and, yes, it is not only in quotes in the original but also in italics.

CalifJim · Answer

GPYI took the precaution of checking this

Thanks.

Even so, I find the whole excerpt cryptic, and it still seems to me that "writing in defiance ..." goes together as a post-modifier of "ourselves".

CJ

GPY · Answer

CalifJimEven so, I find the whole excerpt cryptic,

Yes, the book that Red Apple is reading is largely incomprehensible to ordinary people.

CalifJim · Answer

GPYlargely incomprehensible to ordinary people

Are you calling me ordinary?

CJ
_____________

Agreed.

CJ

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