Tuesday, October 9, 2007

The Value of a Memoir

A common desire in people is to share their life. To be heard among the millions and pass on something they have learned. A great way to do this is to write a memoir. Memoirs are a fantastic way to share stories because they are true accounts of the writer's life. Someones whole life, or just a passage from it can be shared through a memoir and be written to any degree of detail desired by the writer. An added benefit of writing a memoir is that it can be slightly dramatized or fictionalized to better convey the message. A writer may choose to write a memoir because they can not remember every detail but feel they have a story that needs to be heard. Memoirs are a perfect way to get a personal message to the outside world.

Unlike a piece of fiction, memoirs are real life accounts of what has happened in a person's life. A memoir focuses on the events and feelings of the writer, thus making a story as true to life as possible. This is important because memoirs may provide us with some of the most accurate accounts of someone's life and therefore bring the deepest meaning. Reading a memoir comes with the added benefit of knowing that it is a first-hand account from the writer, giving it the added aspect of reality. The reader know that the thoughts, dialogue, and descriptions are the true voice of the author. These types of stories provide more inspiration and draw more emotion from the reader compared to fictional, manufactured pieces of literary work. These aspects of a memoir set them apart, , making them one of the best literary techniques to get a message across.

2 comments:

Kelly O said...

David David David. I'm diggin the describing words in you post. Even though these aren't necessarily supposed to be quality writing it seems as though you've taken this assignment as a CHALLENGE!!!
I like it.

Efficiently yours,
Kelly

Jen R. said...

I like how you mentioned that people write memoirs to pass on something they've leaned. It makes our lives meaningful. You should write a memoir David. The one you read in school was engaging. Jen.