Irony of Self
Before its release, many readers were certain that Anais Nin’s diary would provide an exploitative look at some of the literary world’s most famous poets and authors. Many people assumed that Nin would have chronicled juicy tabloid details in her journal, including gossip and torrid encounters. Ironically, however, though her diary does recount some of the rumors of the time and her encounters with famed authors and poets—including Antonin Artaud and Henry Miller—it is more an exploration of self. It is through her encounters with famous literature writers that Nin begins to develop and hone her own sense of identity—both as a human and an author.
Irony of Success
Throughout her diary entries, Anais Nin details and recounts the many encounters she had with those who had found success in the world of literature. Though one would expect these individuals to be quite content in their success and have found tremendous happiness, Nin’s diaries reveal otherwise. Rather, many of the individuals she encountered were deeply unhappy with their fame. The irony is, therefore, that success does not often equate to happiness, though so many people perceive it to be so.
Irony of Relationships
This particular facet of irony is twofold in Nin’s diary entries—firstly in her own marriage and secondly in the marriage of Henry Miller. Though Nin was married, no mention of her husband—Hugh—is made in her diary entries. Despite Nin’s own obsessions with Henry Miller’s relationship, she paid little mind to her own. Similarly, it was fellow author Henry Miller’s fame and success that ultimately led to the degradation of his own relationship. In perhaps the strangest twist of irony, it was Nin’s affair with the tumultuous and arrogant Miller that contributed to the break-down of his marriage.
Irony of Identity
We often view our identity as something we must explore and develop on our own; it is buried deep within us and we must pluck it out. Anais Nin’s diary, however, details a different version of identity, one in which she relies upon those around her to discover who she is. Nin’s artistic and literary identity is particularly influenced by her tumultuous relationship with Henry Miller. Though she grows to resent and despise his arrogance, her works are undoubtedly influenced by his writing style and their interactions.
Irony of Love
Love and, indeed, sexual desire are interlaced throughout Nin’s diary. Ironically, despite Nin’s intense desire for love and sexual satisfaction, she struggled to find either throughout the course of her life. Nin’s love life was, in fact, incredibly troubled. From her affair with Henry Miller to her sexual relations with her own father, the irony of Nin’s life is that she searched desperately for love and sexual satisfaction, but gravitated towards those who did not care for her mental or physical well-being.
