Vignettes & the art of memoir Micro-fiction. Journals. Snapshots. Pictures. Memories.

Daily Objective Today we’re going to identify features of a memoir and analyze authors’ style and technique to create alternative forms of literature! .

Think about the following question: Breakdown Think about the following question: What is an easy way for someone to keep track of their important memories and reflect on what happened to themselves afterwards?

Breakdown In our modern age, we have a lot of different things we can use to keep track of important memories: Cameras Snapchat Instagram Journals

A short scene that focuses on one particular topic or event. Breakdown Authors use different techniques in writing to share (or express) their own personal ideas and memories. For example, some authors will use the following: Vignette A short scene that focuses on one particular topic or event. Memoir A biographical or autobiographical collection of memories from a person’s life.

Vignette (Literature) A Vignette is a short impression of a scene. Often this is used to give the reader a brief little view into the realm of a character’s mind, an idea/concept, setting, or focus on a particular object. Journals

Vignette (Photography) The term vignette comes from the photography technique, where dark edges are applied to a picture. This makes the photo have a “hotspot” where people viewing the photo will focus their attention. Normal Picture Vignette Added

Vignette Keep in mind, a Vignette is supposed to be a small snapshot of a single event. Like a fast Instagram photo, blog post, or tweet. Some novels are made up of collections of vignettes. Journals

Vignettes Vignettes are a form of flash fiction (or “microfiction”). Meaning they are stories that express an idea within a very limited amount of words. Long story short… Vignettes are complex stories that DO NOT follow Freytag’s Pyramid, because they lack proper characterization, plot, conflict, etc.

Memoir A Memoir is a short biography or collection of memories. When someone shares their own personal life in the form of a story or diary, it becomes a memoir.

Memoir -features A Memoir is a form of autobiographical writing in which a writer shares their own personal experiences and observations of significant events or people. “talk” to readers, using informal language and sharing personal feelings Recall actual events and emphasize their reactions to them Show how their experiences changed their attitudes and lives

Style –words and phrases The author’s style is the manner of writing –how something is said rather than what is said. Readers can analyze the author’s style by making observations of these elements Word choice Sentence types Sentence length The author's style can be formal using complex language and sentence structures or informal using simpler language, sentences, and fragments Sentence fragments Repetition of one or more words Descriptive Details

Style –figurative language Imaginative use of words to express ideas that are not literally true, but are meaningful and can have an emotional impact to show meaning and feeling -or tone in the narrative. Simile Effect “The leading edge of the storm came, and the first sprinkles passed over like army scouts” The comparison connects sparse drops that hint at the full “army” of rain to come. Personification “Each change had something to say, and I listened to the river. The river was talking to me.” A feeling of connectedness

Style –word choice No sooner had I ducked into the trees than the sky split open with a loud crash and a splintery crackle of lightening. The author describes the crash of thunder and a “splintery crackle” lightening. What might lightening made of “splintery crackles” look like?

Memoir Identify the features of a memoir in the first two lines of Mississippi Solo Too many marvelous days in a row and you begin to get used to it, to think that’s the way it supposed to be. Talks in a familiar way using informal sentence structure and the pronoun “you” to mean “everyone.” He reveals a personal view that life isn’t supposed to be all “marvelous days”

A single piece taken from a larger puzzle. Breakdown Think of it like this… Vignette A single piece taken from a larger puzzle. It requires that the reader work through all the pain of the memory and come out on the other side, enlightened on the journey the author expresses. I.e., the reader has to “figure out” what the real truth or meaning is behind the vignette.

A retelling of life events for a person. Breakdown Think of it like this… Memoir A retelling of life events for a person.