Memoirs
The definition of a memoir.
A collection of memories or a single moment/event that took place in the author’s life.
The definition of a Personal Essay.
A short autobiography about a particular event, person, or identity that is important to you as a person.
Part A--Fill in the blank: I should become a _____________ of everything I read.
Critic
"When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: 'free, free, free!'”
"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
The Critical Theory Lens where the experience of the person reading the text matters.
Reader Response
The Point of View in which memoirs are written.
1st Person
The three parts to the structure of a Personal Essay.
Introduction: Hook
Body Paragraphs: Narrative Outline (at least 3)
Conclusion: Summary & Reflection
Part B--Two other names that mean the same thing as Critical Theory.
Critical Lens/Critical Analysis
"Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
'Eat in the kitchen,'
Then."
"I, Too" by Langston Hughes
The writer who had six children and died of a brain hemorrhage.
Kate Chopin
The formula for the structure of a memoir.
background information +
an important moment +
reflection on what happened =
memoir structure
The difference between a memoir and a personal essay.
Memoirs and personal essays have a lot in common, but personal essays offer students more freedom and choice for the topic of their essays.
It’s not only about important moments!
Using a Cultural Lens, name two contributing factors that can influence the interpretation of a text.
Age
Race & Ethnicity
Religion
Gender
Socio-Economic Status–Wealth, Occupation, Education
"...its bold LOVE increasingly illegible
as it ascends over the frozen oaks,"
"Valentine's Afternoon" by Michael McFee
Four words from "My Papa's Waltz" inferring this poem could be about abuse.
Whiskey, dizzy, hung, death, romped, unfrown, battered, scraped, beat, caked, hard, clinging
Four characteristics of a memoir.
First-person point of view (I, me, my)
Author/speaker as the primary character
Inclusion of thoughts, feelings, and reactions
Includes a reflection on how the moment(s) written about shaped the author’s life
The Paragraph Formula.
Topic Sentence +
Concrete Detail +
Commentary Sentences (at least 2) +
Concluding Sentence =
Paragraph Formula
The two Critical Lenses that require the reader to do research.
Biographical & Cultural
"My head's under water, but I'm breathing fine
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind"
"All of Me" by John Legend
One purpose of Shane Koyczan writing the Spoken Word Poem/Memoir "To This Day."
Spread awareness about bullying and the effects of trauma on children
Create an emotional connection to others who have experienced something similar; it will get better
Understanding that we can’t always know what people are going through
DOUBLE JEOPARDY
Name two things the concluding paragraph of a Personal Essay should include.
Reflection
Insights
Lessons learned from the experience
Changes you went through
Using a New Criticism Lens, name at least 4 specific words that were used in the poem "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke and determine the true meaning of the poem.
Dizzy, death, romped, unfrown, battered, scraped, beat, clinging
Abuse from a child's perspective.
"...if you can’t see anything beautiful about yourself/ Get a better mirror/Look a little closer/Stare a little longer/Because there’s something inside you/That made you keep trying/Despite everyone who told you to quit"
"To This Day" by Shane Koyczan
One fact from EACH category from your research of the life of Kate Chopin:
Early Life, Personal Life, Struggles/Obstacles, Accomplishments, Death, Reflection
(answers may vary)