What is a MEMOIR? How is it different from an autobiography?

What is a MEMOIR?

Dane Cook's Memoir of Monopoly Noah's 365 Project for 6 Years

Bossypants by Tina Fey Autobiographical comedy about comedian Tina Fey’s life, including her time on SNL. Backcover of book: Once in a generation a woman comes along who changes everything. TINA FEY is not that woman, but she met that woman once and acted weird around her. Praise for Bossypants: “You’d be really pretty if you lost weight.” –College Boyfriend, 1990 “Tina Fey is an ugly, pear-shaped, overrated troll.” - The Internet

BOSSYPANTS

1. What is the THEME of the selection? 2. Why is this event important to the author? (You may have to infer this.) 3. What is the author’s craft? (Literary elements, structure and organization, TONE, etc.) 4. What feelings do you have after reading the selection? What made this story interesting to you? 5. What elements of memoir are present in the selection? Cite your evidence. 6. What are the strengths and weaknesses of this selection? What elements of this story make it unique?

Your Memoir Excerpts Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom –Albom visits with his old professor, Morrie, as he battles with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and learns more from him then than he did in class 20 years before. Finding Fish by Antwone Fisher –Fisher was born in prison and then send to live in foster care. He eventually ends up with the Picketts, who abuse him physically, verbally, and sexually. Today he’s a producer, director and film writer “Being Mean” from Living Up the Street by Gary Soto –Growing up in a barrio (poor Mexican American neighborhood), Soto had a tough childhood. His father died at age five, which only increased his family’s poverty. In “Being Mean,” Soto tells of the childhood pranks he would pull.

In your groups : Read the memoir assigned to your group. DO NOT WRITE ON IT!! Record the title and author of your memoir on your handout. As you read your memoir or when finished, answer the questions on your handout WITH YOUR GROUP. When everyone in the group is finished reading the selected memoir, RAISE YOUR HAND, and you will be given another one! You should have three memoirs read by the end of class.