When I was finished writing the first draft of my memoir, I thought it was boreing. Even though I wrote out all the facts as they happened, I thought that it needed to be more suspenceful. However, I never changed my origional draft and handed it in to Dr. Chandler the way it was.
After I handed in my first draft we had that class on Frey about truth. That class left me feeling that I actually did the right thing in leaving my draft they way it was. I thought that maybe if I was to add anything to my draft that it would in some ways become untrue.
Then I had my meeting with Dr. Chandler, and we had another class on truth in writing and I found that I would be able to add elements to my paper that would change it up but still keep it 100% true. We discussed taking out the first part of the essay and just concentrating on the main point a little more, where I could add more detail about my main point and still be able to stay on topic.
As far as I know my essay is completely true. I told the story the exact way that I remember it. I told my own feelings, and I portrayed the people in the story in the was that I saw them at the time. But the issue of truth comes up for me agian becasue the way I portray myself and the other people in my story is from my point of view. I know what I want them to come off like, but someone else reading my work can have a different opinion and get a different feeling. So I guess when I write the memoir I am keeping it true to what I know and remember. Hopefully the story and characters will be portrayed the way by readers the way I intend for them to be.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
Discussion about Frey
I think it is an author's responsibility to tell the absolute truth when writing a non fiction piece. It is unethical to lead readers in the wrong direction. However, how will anyone ever know when a non fiction piece doesn't have any fiction parts? I think that an author would embellish on an even to make it more interesting, but all they really have to do is add a short sentence such as, this is how it felt, or this is what could have or would have happened.
I have never read Frey's book, but I have definately heard of it. Before hearing about all of the lies that Frey wrote about, his book was very popular. Why couldn't Frey have just labeled his book fiction. I think it is becasue saying that you actually went through something gives it a different effect they saying that you just made something up.
I have never read Frey's book, but I have definately heard of it. Before hearing about all of the lies that Frey wrote about, his book was very popular. Why couldn't Frey have just labeled his book fiction. I think it is becasue saying that you actually went through something gives it a different effect they saying that you just made something up.
Monday, February 19, 2007
about personal essay
When someone reads my personal essay about my sister's wedding, I want them to feel happy. My essay is about growing up with my sisters, and everything that we used to do. Then I go on to tell about her wedding, and how we are all grown up. When I was writing it, it made me sad to think about the past, and that is part of what I want my reader to understand. I want the reader go through the emotion I went through when I was writing the essay, either with my experiances or with their own.
When I write about how my life was with my sisters growing up, I want my reader to get the feeling that I was very close with my two sisters, and the crazy funny things that I went through having an older sister.
When I write about the wedding in between the sections about when I was younger, I want the reader to get a feeling that this is a posative essay, not about losing the past, but about looking to the future. Although when I wrote my essay I was sad about looking to the past, and missing how things used to be, I overall want my essay to have a posative outcome. I think that my last paragraph about how the wedding was the best party I have ever been to, and how I want my sister to be proud of me shows that I am actually looking to the future. I overall want to leave my reader with a posative feeling about my experiance.
When I write about how my life was with my sisters growing up, I want my reader to get the feeling that I was very close with my two sisters, and the crazy funny things that I went through having an older sister.
When I write about the wedding in between the sections about when I was younger, I want the reader to get a feeling that this is a posative essay, not about losing the past, but about looking to the future. Although when I wrote my essay I was sad about looking to the past, and missing how things used to be, I overall want my essay to have a posative outcome. I think that my last paragraph about how the wedding was the best party I have ever been to, and how I want my sister to be proud of me shows that I am actually looking to the future. I overall want to leave my reader with a posative feeling about my experiance.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
When I was younger I always thought that things would get easier as I got older, and I couldn’t wait to grow up. Now I can’t help but think about how much I wish things were the way they used to be. Now I realize that it’s a lot easier as a kid when you don’t have to worry about things such as bills, food shopping, and doing your own laundry. All I had to do as a kid was occasionally wash dishes after dinner, dust on weekends, and walk my dog a couple of times a day. Now I wish that I was still living with my mom, two sisters, grandparents, and dog, all in the same three bedroom one story house.
I am standing in church next to my younger sister, my two step sisters and a couple of close friends, all with our hair and make up all done. This is the same church that my mom made us come to when we were younger, and now I am happy to be here. We are all wearing the same red wine colored dress and looking down the isle, waiting for my older sister to walk down in her beautiful white gown. I never thought this day would come because in my mind my sisters and I would stay young forever, always arguing with each other or working together to come up with some money to buy some insignificant thing at the mall that we just had to have. The whole idea of one of us getting married and actually starting a life of our own was beyond my realm of thinking, until now.
When we were younger, my two sisters and I shared a small room that somehow fit three beds in it, one set of bunk beds and a mattress that only came out when it was time to go to sleep. Three single beds would have taken up the entire room. Of course, our room was always a mess. Naturally, as every other parent did, my mom would constantly tell us to clean our room. This was an ongoing battle because our room was never clean, but we always eventually did it. Now, cleaning this room was no easy task, we had a lot of stuff. I remember my older sister always coming up with ways to get me and my younger sister to do the cleaning while she either watched or just left completely. One time she grabbed this thing that looked like a fairy wand that must have been from an old Halloween costume and told us that when she tapped us on the head she would point to something and we had to put it away. So my older sister would smack both me and my younger sister on the head and we would put the thing she pointed to away. That’s how our room got clean that day.
All the bridesmaids and groomsmen are in the church and the next song to be played on the organ is “Here comes the bride.” My sister is walking down the isle with my step-father, and waiting for her is her future husband and my future brother in law. No one knew, but she had sneakers on under her dress. When they reach the end of what probably seemed like the longest short walk of her life, her future husband gives my mom a hug and shakes my step dads hand. In a few minutes he will be a part of my family.
Playing card and board games was a weekend ritual. Monopoly was a favorite of ours. My two sisters and I would gather around the table and decide who would be the banker who would get to be the car or the thimble, and who would go first. About twenty minutes into the game my older sister would start to make up rules. For example if she were to roll two fives she would say “ rolling double fives means you get $500”. Of course we agreed to all of these rules because we were younger and thought it was cool of her to do that. For some reason I liked the one dollar bills, so my sister would say “I’ll give you all of my ones if you give me park place”. Meanwhile she has all the money and boardwalk. The game is pretty much over.
Now my sister and her future husband are sitting up on the alter, and the ceremony is continuing. I remember crying, but she was laughing. Later I found out she was laughing because she told the priest that she had to pee. It turns out she had a little to much to drink in the limo ride over.
Now it’s about a month before Christmas, and we really loved Christmas growing up. Some years we spend months preparing Christmas gifts for my mom and grandparents. Of course when you are little you don’t buy gifts, you make them. One year my older sister decided to have us put together a Christmas concert for my mom and grandparents. We had this Disney Christmas record that had the words to all the songs on the back of it that we used as a guideline for our little concert. She made me and my younger sister practice singing everyday, and when we didn’t get the words right she would get upset with us. Trust me when I tell you that my younger sister and I were no American idol. Also around Christmas we just had to sleep next to the Christmas tree the night we put it up.
Now the actual wedding ceremony is over and we all walk back down the isle. My sister and her new husband stand there as happy as I have ever seen them and thank all of their guests for coming in hopes they will see them in a few minutes at the reception. Once we get to the reception hall the photographer gets us all together to take a family photo. It is very hard to get the entire family together on the same day at the same time since we all live in different states, so this is a rare occasion. Since all of our relatives are there, plus a few new additions, it is the biggest family photo yet.
Every Friday night we would be allowed to stay up late to watch TFIF. Because my mom worked nights, and because we didn’t have a TV in our room, we were allowed to sleep in my mom’s room on Friday nights. My grandparents would put a lot of blankets down and two of us would sleep on the floor and one of us would sleep on the couch. Needless to say, my older sister would sleep on the couch. A few years later, when my older sister would go out on Friday nights, it would be a fight between me and my younger sister about who got to sleep on the couch.
Now we are at the reception and all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen are announced and standing and facing each other in the middle of the dance floor. Next my sister and her husband will be announced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. They come running through the door and I don’t think that I have ever seen my sister so happy. Although I cry because I am happy for her, I am also sad because I know things will never be the same as they were. Of course she will always be my sister, but never again will we share the same room and play our old games the way we used to. Now my siter is there for me when I need her in other ways, such as giving me much needed advice, or loaning me a couple bucks when I need it. My last thought before the best party I have ever been to is that I can’t wait to see what happens next, and I hope she is proud of my when I get married!
I am standing in church next to my younger sister, my two step sisters and a couple of close friends, all with our hair and make up all done. This is the same church that my mom made us come to when we were younger, and now I am happy to be here. We are all wearing the same red wine colored dress and looking down the isle, waiting for my older sister to walk down in her beautiful white gown. I never thought this day would come because in my mind my sisters and I would stay young forever, always arguing with each other or working together to come up with some money to buy some insignificant thing at the mall that we just had to have. The whole idea of one of us getting married and actually starting a life of our own was beyond my realm of thinking, until now.
When we were younger, my two sisters and I shared a small room that somehow fit three beds in it, one set of bunk beds and a mattress that only came out when it was time to go to sleep. Three single beds would have taken up the entire room. Of course, our room was always a mess. Naturally, as every other parent did, my mom would constantly tell us to clean our room. This was an ongoing battle because our room was never clean, but we always eventually did it. Now, cleaning this room was no easy task, we had a lot of stuff. I remember my older sister always coming up with ways to get me and my younger sister to do the cleaning while she either watched or just left completely. One time she grabbed this thing that looked like a fairy wand that must have been from an old Halloween costume and told us that when she tapped us on the head she would point to something and we had to put it away. So my older sister would smack both me and my younger sister on the head and we would put the thing she pointed to away. That’s how our room got clean that day.
All the bridesmaids and groomsmen are in the church and the next song to be played on the organ is “Here comes the bride.” My sister is walking down the isle with my step-father, and waiting for her is her future husband and my future brother in law. No one knew, but she had sneakers on under her dress. When they reach the end of what probably seemed like the longest short walk of her life, her future husband gives my mom a hug and shakes my step dads hand. In a few minutes he will be a part of my family.
Playing card and board games was a weekend ritual. Monopoly was a favorite of ours. My two sisters and I would gather around the table and decide who would be the banker who would get to be the car or the thimble, and who would go first. About twenty minutes into the game my older sister would start to make up rules. For example if she were to roll two fives she would say “ rolling double fives means you get $500”. Of course we agreed to all of these rules because we were younger and thought it was cool of her to do that. For some reason I liked the one dollar bills, so my sister would say “I’ll give you all of my ones if you give me park place”. Meanwhile she has all the money and boardwalk. The game is pretty much over.
Now my sister and her future husband are sitting up on the alter, and the ceremony is continuing. I remember crying, but she was laughing. Later I found out she was laughing because she told the priest that she had to pee. It turns out she had a little to much to drink in the limo ride over.
Now it’s about a month before Christmas, and we really loved Christmas growing up. Some years we spend months preparing Christmas gifts for my mom and grandparents. Of course when you are little you don’t buy gifts, you make them. One year my older sister decided to have us put together a Christmas concert for my mom and grandparents. We had this Disney Christmas record that had the words to all the songs on the back of it that we used as a guideline for our little concert. She made me and my younger sister practice singing everyday, and when we didn’t get the words right she would get upset with us. Trust me when I tell you that my younger sister and I were no American idol. Also around Christmas we just had to sleep next to the Christmas tree the night we put it up.
Now the actual wedding ceremony is over and we all walk back down the isle. My sister and her new husband stand there as happy as I have ever seen them and thank all of their guests for coming in hopes they will see them in a few minutes at the reception. Once we get to the reception hall the photographer gets us all together to take a family photo. It is very hard to get the entire family together on the same day at the same time since we all live in different states, so this is a rare occasion. Since all of our relatives are there, plus a few new additions, it is the biggest family photo yet.
Every Friday night we would be allowed to stay up late to watch TFIF. Because my mom worked nights, and because we didn’t have a TV in our room, we were allowed to sleep in my mom’s room on Friday nights. My grandparents would put a lot of blankets down and two of us would sleep on the floor and one of us would sleep on the couch. Needless to say, my older sister would sleep on the couch. A few years later, when my older sister would go out on Friday nights, it would be a fight between me and my younger sister about who got to sleep on the couch.
Now we are at the reception and all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen are announced and standing and facing each other in the middle of the dance floor. Next my sister and her husband will be announced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. They come running through the door and I don’t think that I have ever seen my sister so happy. Although I cry because I am happy for her, I am also sad because I know things will never be the same as they were. Of course she will always be my sister, but never again will we share the same room and play our old games the way we used to. Now my siter is there for me when I need her in other ways, such as giving me much needed advice, or loaning me a couple bucks when I need it. My last thought before the best party I have ever been to is that I can’t wait to see what happens next, and I hope she is proud of my when I get married!
Thursday, February 1, 2007
personal essay vs memoir
As we have discussed in class on Wednesday, there are differences between personal essays and mamoirs. I thought that Lott's story "Brothers" was a memoir, but I believe that it turned out that it was a personal essay. I found out a little more about personal essays and memoirs to help us tell the difference, although to me they are quite similar.
Personal essays are about a personal experiance, where you can say exactly what you feel about that experiance. I felt that the personal essay was something that was written about over time, and not just about one specific moment. In the personal essay the writer tries to find their personal meaning of the experiance they are writing about. In Lott's essay he is writing about a feeling that he had and that evolved throughout his life.
In memoirs, there is more of an autobiographical feeling to it. The memoir captures a specific moment in the writers life that they want to tell you about. We see this in Beards writing.
Personal essays are about a personal experiance, where you can say exactly what you feel about that experiance. I felt that the personal essay was something that was written about over time, and not just about one specific moment. In the personal essay the writer tries to find their personal meaning of the experiance they are writing about. In Lott's essay he is writing about a feeling that he had and that evolved throughout his life.
In memoirs, there is more of an autobiographical feeling to it. The memoir captures a specific moment in the writers life that they want to tell you about. We see this in Beards writing.
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