In my previous post, I promised that I would use this post to share my thoughts on autobiographies and memoirs. Never let it be said that I don't follow through on my promises.
So, for class last week, my peers and I listened to two chapters of the abridged version of Maya Angelou's second autobiography, Gather Together in My Name. Unfortunately, I have not read or listened to any other pieces by Angelou, which means that this work is currently the only source of information I have about her personality, demeanor, and writing style. And I have to admit, Gather Together left me with a largely negative impression of her. Angelou's retellings of the events during her teenage years are blunt and unapologetic, but because many of her actions at that time were of dubious morality--such as conning a pair of lesbian prostitutes--she often comes across as a cocky braggart. Now, to be fair, the tone of the piece could have been slightly affected by the abridgments made to it. However, because the piece was composed of direct excerpts from Angelou's autobiography, I suspect the book itself contained the same cocky, self-righteous tone.
When I brought this up in class, one of my classmates made an interesting point: most authors include moments of remorse or reflection in their autobiographies, but Angelou did not. This led to a debate about the purpose of autobiographies and memoirs. Should they recreate past events as accurately as possible, including the author's past opinions? Or should they serve as reflections that demonstrate how the author and their world have grown?
I, personally, am inclined to support the latter for two reasons. First of all, memory is fallible. Psychological studies have proven that memory can be influenced by suggestion and other events; therefore, it is nearly impossible for someone to recount their memories with complete accuracy. Secondly, I feel that memoirs--like other forms of nonfiction--are meant to encourage learning and showcase personal growth. Accordingly, I believe that they should use the author's current position to reflect on past behaviors and events. After all, memoir writers write through a current lens, even if they like to pretend that they don't.
Yet as much as I disagree with the idea that memoirs should strive to objectively report past events, that is exactly what I found myself attempting to do when I tried writing an autobiographical short story. In a desperate attempt to remember the details of the day I first picked up a sword and met my fiance, I dug through all of the memorabilia I have from that day--including pictures, a post-it note describing the memory, and a map detailing the layout of the renaissance faire where we met. I even messaged my sister to ask if she recalled the first words my fiance said to me! In short, I sought concrete, objective details that I could use to accurately recreate that day.
But the truth of the matter is, that day is forever gone and exists only in the memories of those who were there. Therefore, there is no way for me to truly relive the first time I held a sword or experience again my first impression of my fiance. This means that when I recount that day, I will always do so through my current perspective, which is a fact I should acknowledge in my writing.
Thanks for reading!
Abby
Writing Advice: The "true" past always differs from one's memory of the past. Therefore, the history of your story's world should differ from your characters' accounts of it. Keep this in mind when developing worlds and characters.
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