Chapter 1 – From
Autobiography to Memoir:
In
this chapter, Larson explains the
difference between autobiography (and
biography) and memoir. For
autobiography, the primary emotion comes from the events themselves,
while in memoir,
emotion stems from emotion itself.
To me, this is an absolutely critical distinction, one
that could mean the difference between writing something compelling
and emotionally relevant or writing something dry and factual. By
employing one's own personality as the primary narrator, one can
remain authentic both to one's own story and craft
a superior form of narrative.
Chapter 2 –
Discovering a New Literary Form:
In this chapter,
Larson expands farther out from his original distinction between
autobiography and memoir. According to Larson, “how we have lived
with ourselves teeter-totters with how we have lived with others –
not people, but cultures, ideas, politics, religions, history, and
more.” Larson is not suggesting we divorce ourselves from our pasts
and upbringings. Quite the opposite, in fact—we are to incorporate
and embrace our pasts. They should even serve as a more potent,
implemented exposition, exploration, and description of our own
character.
3 – The Past is
Never Over
In
chapter three, Larson details the three operating levels of
narrative: established
events, recalled events, and the resulting events of why
you want to recall it. Larson
explains that these levels get progressively more complicated. After
reading about these levels, I found myself falling into the trap of
only addressing the first or second segments in my own writing. I'd
spend too much time detailing the story or simply telling what I
remembered. Neither are bad,
per se, but I can always do more emotionally poignant, potent
narration.
4 – The Voice of
Childhood
This chapter
centers on establishing a natural voice of a child. There is a
careful, complicated balance when writing as a child. One has to
capture the honest essence of childhood, while maintaining the craft
and skill of an adult author. Larson gives several examples, but
warns that it is all too easy (and common) to sacrifice a quality
narrative in pursuit of authenticity. Many of our most base,
influential moments occur in childhood, so it's critical to write
with the voice of a child and the understanding of an adult.
5 – Myth-Making
in Memoir
Larson raises the
interesting moral question about “accuracy” and honesty in memoir
in this chapter. I found myself doing what Larson warned
against—detailing scenes as I thought they should be, but perhaps
not exactly as they occurred. The question Larson keeps asking is
“what is actual truth?” and I found myself trying to apply it to
my writing. I agree that it's difficult to determine “actual
truth,” but I disagree with Larson. I believe that in memoir, the
author should have more artistic liberty to write the events as they
impacted the writer. That's the purpose of writing them, after all.
6 – The Writer as
Archaeologist
Despite what he
wrote in chapter 5, Larson at least gives some leniency to the
author. An author is going to explore his or her own “dig site”
as an archaeologist and will find what they may. This resonated with
me and made me feel better about my writing thus far. I've been
working to uncover my old self, my old perspectives, the important
moments in my life. It is very much a digging process. You have to
uncover and reflect a lot. I had to speak to my parents and brother
and sister to glean more background and worthwhile information.
7 – Sudden Memoir
(1)
By “Sudden
Memoir,” Larson is referring to the form and style of writing that
is the recounting of immediate events. According to Larson, there is
less of an intractable future in this style of memoir. It's more
easily and clearly recollected, with less fluff. That has its
disadvantages, of course – less time to digest ideas and concepts.
The stories I've been writing are old stories, stories I've been
dwelling on for a long time. After reading this chapter, I'm excited
to try writing something a little more current.
8 – Sudden Memoir
(2)
Honestly?
I couldn't quite understand Larson's governing theme in this section.
By speaking broadly about Eggers, Larson seems to be trying to state
the fact that honesty and drama in memoir don't necessarily need time
to ferment, that some people can make any moment of the present into
the distant past. I also
couldn't understand whether or not Larson spoke about Eggers with
reverence, disdain, or enthusiasm. He almost certainly
looked with frustration upon
the reality-show aspect of it all.
This was a curious,
less decisive follow-up to “Sudden Memoir (1).” So much so that
I'm afraid I don't really understand it.
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