Abstract
This study presents a theoretical definition and delimitation of the autobiography genre, which traditionally lies on the borderline between fiction and non-fiction. The work of Philippe Lejeune and his concept of the "autobiographical pact", which is analysed in detail, is taken as the starting point.
The individual criteria for autobiographies as defined by Lejeune are progressively examined, and the permeability of the boundaries between autobiography and other genres is shown, based on examples from Czech and world literature. The opportunities to experiment with genre conventions and the consequences that ensue for literary theory are presented on the basis of Gertrude Stein's Autobiography of Alice B.
Toklas.