Autobiography Essays (Examples)

Autobiography of enjamin Franklin

enjamin Franklin's autobiography is widely considered to be one of the most important early examples of American literature, because his recollections not only offer important insights into the historical and social context of their writing, but also because Franklin himself attempted to imbue his autobiography with a distinct authorial voice and a number of important themes. Paramount among these is the theme of self-improvement, and at every stage in his narration Franklin attempts to demonstrate his own process of self-improvement so that it might serve "as a model for countless generations to admire."

However, when considering Franklin's reported attempts at self-improvement in the context of his own political, professional, and personal ideology, it is difficult to determine whether Franklin's instructions for self-improvement were born out of a genuine desire to help others, or were simply an attempt at self-promotion. y investigating Franklin's stated reasons for writing…

autobiography X

Malcolm X's autobiography provides poignant insight into the life of the man, but also offers insight into the historical and cultural context in which he wrote. Malcolm X delves into issues of race, class, gender, and power in the book, showing how these issues are interrelated in his personal life as well as in American society. As such, Malcolm X is very much a quintessential American, whose identity is fractured due to pulls in various directions related to race, class, and identity.

The murder of his father at the hands of white supremacists has a tremendous impact on young Malcolm Little. He experiences first hand, with as much emotional intensity as possible, the real effects of racism in America. Malcolm X understands that it may not be possible for people of color to achieve social, economic, or political parity with their white counterparts. The deep fissures in identity…

Autobiography

I have heard it said that life beings at 40, and considering that I am near 40 and embarking on a new stage in my life, I can see how people have come to that conclusion, since 40 seems to be the age where people have that combination of wisdom, experience, and energy that makes embarking on new adventures exciting, rather than intimidating. For me, however, my current life began more than 20 years ago, not with my first taste of success, which came shortly thereafter, but with my first crushing failure; I did not succeed in my first attempt at higher education. I graduated from high school in 1990 and enrolled at Illinois State University. However, I was too immature for college at that time and did not give my studies the attention that they deserved. I did not make the grades that I needed to make, and…

autobiography Alice Toklas successful?

The success of The Autobiography of Alice . Toklas

According to Time Magazine's review of the 100 est ooks of All Time: "Writing her lover's 'autobiography' proved a witty way for American author Gertrude Stein to detail her own life as Parisian writer, salon host and arts patron. Ostensibly, readers can take in the book, published in 1933, as Stein writing about Alice . Toklas (which is what the title suggests) or as Toklas 'writing' about Stein (which is what the book actually is)" (Sun 2011). Regardless, in contrast to Stein's usual dense, difficult prose, the book has a wittier and more story-driven narrative. Many have called it 'Stein for eginners' to explain its subsequent popularity (Sun 2011).

The 'gossipy' aspects of reading The Autobiography of Alice . Toklas should not be dismissed in terms of its ability to attract a wide audience, given that it…

Autobiography

My name is Asia Octavia Raheem. I have two daughters, Amanee and Amanda, ages fifteen years and thirteen years. I was born on October 10, 1971 in Monroe, Louisiana. When I was four years old, my family, which included three brothers and one sister, moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where I still live today, as well as the majority of my immediate family. Most of my friends are now are in the military, however my childhood friend, Denise Ruben still lives in Atlanta.

My parents and all thirteen of my uncles and aunts are college graduates. Growing up in a home that placed extreme value on education is the single factor that influenced my goals and life in general. It is difficult to debate the value of education amid more than a dozen college graduates. Whatever excuses or protests I expressed would be quickly met by a slew of cliche…

Autobiography

'I don't know, Jon. Switching paths like that? I'm overwhelmed as it is ... "

"You can do it!" he repeated. "I know you can. I'm telling you, I see this in your future. Plus," he added rather seriously, "I think it's where your talents lay!"

It was I who was voted "class psychologist," in high school, so innate was my predilection for listening to people's problems and offering solutions on the fly. In fact, I had spent the last several years of my life banking on that student-voted accolade, and on the fact that I was good at helping others, that I liked science in general, and that knew I would do well as a clinical worker. Yet here was my friend Jon, a person who I didn't think had any predilection toward helping people, analyzing me like crazy and offering me advice. Plus, he knew I had…

I cried my heart out, but I will always remember Mr. Zeke as a wonderful and helpful man, without whom I would not have been able to achieve anything at all in my field of work in Social Services.

Did I mention that all through my life, I have always been an above average student, in fact, an excellent one, and I have received many awards for my excellence form the schools that I have attended. However, at one stage in my life, when I was more interested in hanging out with my friends, and getting drunk and smoking marijuana, I did not concentrate on my studies, and when the Principal Mr. Correa threatened to expel me from the school, I took things into my own hands, and I managed to graduate with a 3.8 average grade. Later on, when I was attending the CCSU, I had to give up…

sparknotes.com/lit/malcolmx/section1.html) states a fragment from his autobiography, referring to the status of his father. Religion was and is a powerful means for the motivation of the masses. Once you have got their approval and their enthusiastic support, you have the opportunity of becoming an important figure in the social and thus, political arena.

The Nation of Islam was in a certain way, a movement based on beliefs and values which encouraged revolutionary changes for the status of the blacks. Malcolm wants to change things and this is the tool which comes in most handy.

Let us assume that he was looking for a religious movement to support his career and his desire for change. The Nation of Islam was the best because it was "the one religion that erases the race problem from its society" (Malcolm X, Haley).

And race seemed indeed to be the main problem in a highly…

Autobiography of a Reader

At the outset of my "Autobiography as a Reader," I will admit that I am at present a spottily enthusiastic rather than an avid reader. As a child I read both more avidly and more widely, but as an adult, my reading tastes are narrower, and my reading habits more sporadic. I also tend to be a rather faddish and inconsistent reader. By that, I do not mean that I am a slave to reading "fashion" (whatever that is), but just that books that are bestsellers, or that otherwise capture a lot of media attention, are the ones I am most likely to read nowadays. I will discuss my general reading tastes and interests, currently, as well as throughout my grade school; junior high; and high school years; and my reading habits in college, and beyond academia.

First, my reading tastes, interests, and preferences tend to…

He seems excited at the prospect of marriage and children. I find such excitement perfectly bizarre. How can he even want children? Timothy came to the plantation at the same time I did. While I could sort of understand how his lady would want children -- she knew nothing else -- I cannot understand such a drive in him.

May he just has more life left in him than I did. Maybe he wants to feel less lonely. I cannot summon the energy for emotion anymore. Maybe it has all been beaten out of me. We live in terrible, dark times, and there is nothing to indicate that it would ever improve. The white demons would never treat us as anything better than the lowest animal. Indeed, they even treat their pampered pets better than us.

There is no hope left for me in this world. If I had a…

I help people because it is all I want to do.

For me, the Dental Hygienist Program fulfills these two key personality traits. I love to learn and I need to help. As a dental hygienist, I will be able to do both of these things. The program will challenge me and give me great insight into the field of dentistry. Perhaps one day I will be able to move into dental school myself. But for now, just knowing that I will be able to make people feel better and that I will be contributing to their quality of life and improving their oral health is very important to me.

I see myself as the kind of expert, caring dental hygienist that every patient loves to see. I know how important comfort is to the experience, but I know that being helpful and caring is only valuable when the knowledge…

That experience was different for my mother, who incorporated her religion into every aspect of her life. Fasting is a large part of the Orthodox Church, and it seemed to me that my mother was always engaged in some type of fast. As an adult, I realize that this was not merely the perception of a child; Orthodox Christians really do fast about half of the year, though the fasts are from any thing one can overindulge in for pleasure. My mother's fasts always involved food, probably because she was prone to putting on weight easily and was very concerned about that. However, when I was a child, I believed that the fasts had to involve some type of starvation.

In some ways, growing up in Moscow was similar to growing up in a big city in the United States. My parents were both very well educated and held jobs…

He worked harder than ever and so did I, and although my social life suffered somewhat, I did not become overly withdrawn. My dad remained supportive but I know he misses my mom.

Although English and literature inspired me, I received the best grades in math of all my other classes. Thinking about how to combine my music skills with math, I saw the school counselor and she prepared a packet of information for me on different universities with reputable music departments and good engineering departments as well. She thought I might do well studying music theory in more depth and if that did not pan out, to focus more on how to strengthen my math and channel that into an engineering career. Engineering attracted me more than any other subject besides music and I started to read more about what engineers do. I have dreamt of ways to use…

It is hard to be happy when those around you are not. It is easy to empathize with people who we know or who are in similar situations. The true challenge is to reach out to people who we do not know so that we can understand and help them.

Forgiveness is also a great strength and is often believed to be something you do for someone else. However, I believe it is something you do for yourself to release the anger and pain you feel when someone has caused you harm. To refuse is to forgive is to continue having those negative emotions.

I believe that jealousy is a major weakness because it jeopardizes your own chances of success. While this emotion may appear to be directed at others, it's really about your own insecurity that you don't measure up to another person in some way. In most instances,…

e lived in Qatar for four and a half years, and vacationed in Oman, Dubai, Singapore, the United States, and the United Kingdom. I had some very interesting experiences wandering around the souks of Oman and Dubai and the various areas of Singapore and meeting people from all over the world. These experiences gave me a better understanding of different cultures.

My father was transferred to Houston in 1999 and we moved to the oodlands, where I have attended school since the end of the 5th grade. hile here, I played tennis for a local sports club for several years and took part in several competitions. I have been playing football since the 7th grade, mostly defensive end, and was on the JV team during my sophomore year, and played varsity during the 11th and 12th grades. Although I enjoyed playing football and made many friends while playing, it required…

While I know how important the arts are, I realize that art, alone, is not enough to change the world. Art supplies a critical vision, but people must be willing to bring that vision to life despite challenges. As an African-American I often consider my own ancestors and what they were able to accomplish despite the odds against them. If they could overcome these overwhelming odds, it would be dishonorable for me to refuse to meet the challenges in my own life. To that end, I've engaged in a series of projects that aim to have a direct and positive impact on the lives of the people around me. I had a talk show, "Closer to my Dreams," on WGIV 103.3 FM; the purpose of which was to inspire teenagers to reach for their dreams. I've also work at Youth Empowerment Solutions (YES!), a nonprofit organization that specializes in training.…

That the people reacted with violence to the Nation's mosques and temples indicates Malcolm's strength in Negroes lives, but the book clearly has a bias against the Nation, and blames them for Malcolm's death, and actually his martyrdom, which his death certainly became. I would recommend this book to others, because it is a compelling tale of an important man's life, but I would also recommend that readers look at other accounts of Malcolm's life for a more balanced view of the man, his mission, and his martyrdom.

In conclusion, this book shows Malcolm X as a real man, with flaws, dreams, and hopes for the future. It shows that he truly hated "white devils," and it is easy to see why so many people were frightened of him and his messages. The book only underlines Malcolm X's importance to the black community, and highlights the black Civil ights movement…

autobiography, Frederick Douglass provides both narrative detail and philosophical analysis to paint his personal experiences. As a slave, Douglass owns unique insights into the living conditions, torture, and cruelty meted out to slaves in nineteenth century America. His real-life accounts pair perfectly with his subjectivity: the details support the analysis and vice-versa. Douglass weaves his philosophical stance with his detailed recounting to summarize his experiences, to offer further insight to the reader that complements the objective facts, and to convey his pain.

This excerpt details Douglass's years in captivity, chronicling information as early as his bastardized birth. Having a white father, and one who was probably one of his masters, Douglass's experiences are unique even for a slave. In retelling the story of his mother and the inhumane practice of wresting mother from child, Douglass need not provide any immediate analysis. Yet the author does offer critical insight into the…

The internal coordination of these Chinese firms is also different from others. The members of the family firm believe in following implied statements rather than the expressed statements. Even though, this might involve the workers trying to find out what was actually meant of a statement and it might increase coordination costs, it allows a lot of room for flexibility. The employees can make changes in decisions without being too much accountable for them. This type of extended communication has great consequences on competition as the friendly dealings and communication between the owners and the workers lead to better mutual understanding and aspirations which facilitates the learning process of the members of the family firms.

I observed and experienced that coded information can be easily transmitted to people through short trainings as the codes and symbols are clearly defined and can be memorized. Tacit knowledge is assumptions or information that…

Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member

Street gangs have been a menace in the United States for the better part of the century, and this has prompted researchers to attempt to identify the specific factors that drive youths, some as young as ten, to join criminal gangs. Different books have put forth different accounts to explain what exactly drives gang membership and gang involvement in the American context. Sanyika Sakur's Title, Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member, is one of the most widely-accepted texts in the area of criminology. It details the story of Kody Scott as a member of the notorious L.A-based Tray Eights Gang -- how he chose to lead a gang life, what drove him to becoming a member of a gang, what he encountered as a gang member, and what finally influenced him to turn a new leaf and lead a normal life. In…

Autobiographies

A memoir or autobiography can take on a myriad of different literary forms; for both Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway self-reflection is best achieved through the eyes of other people. The impact of Hemingway's A Moveable Feast and Stein's The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas is remarkable: the creation of autobiographical material that is neither narcissistic nor self-centered. The authors achieve their literary feats in part by writing in a straightforward style of prose that characterizes the remainder of their respective canon of work. hat impressionistic elements do add nuance and flourish to Hemingway and Stein's memoirs never becomes purple prose. Moreover, both A Moveable Feast and The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas are constructionist, or constructivist, texts in that the authors assemble a "self" for the reader. The "self" is not monolithic, but rather, pluralistic and multi-faceted. In spite of their rather basic use of prose elements, both…

Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley

The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published shortly after his assassination in February 1965, is a collaborative effort by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. Containing as it does the entire life history of Malcolm X, the book is a virtual kaleidoscope of the man's various philosophies, be it on African-American unity and integration; racism; religion; non-violence; or human rights. But the singular fact that stands out while reading the book is the many transformations that Malcolm X went through during his lifetime. The drastic shifts in circumstances, ideologies and life paths chosen make it extremely difficult to identify any one consistent philosophy that characterizes the man. Yet, it is precisely for that very reason that there is an identifiable underlying philosophy that shines through almost his entire life span. And that is, Malcolm X was a man who believed in the virtue of self-realization…

She wanted the readers know how she understood Lucy. She wanted the readers to empathize with Lucy. She wanted to let the readers learn from Lucy's mistakes.

Upon reading the whole story, every reader would understand why Ann Patchett is so honest in her own autobiography. There are information which a typical writer would leave out. There are information about Ann's life which can be more promising or more positive in outlook and a typical author would want to highlight these instead of those failures or those mishaps that both Ann and Lucy underwent. But Ann has her own reasons and these reasons were clearly and gradually revealed. This book would have not been as beautifully, effectively and creatively created if those information were deleted.

Conclusion

Indeed, the author may choose what type of information can be included in an autobiography. It will always be dependent on the author and…

german worker: working-Class autobiographies from the age of industralization

Germany is a well- recognized industrial power house in the world today. Its industrial development, like that of many countries in Europe, occurred gradually over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This was made possible by the millions of men and women that gave their labor - those who carried the bricks, printed the books, hacked down the coal, sewed the shirt and cuffs and collars, and laid down the railroad ties that facilitated the growth of the industrial sector Germany. Ottilie aader was one such woman, forced to work as a seamstress in multiple sewing factories in erlin to support her Siblings and ailing father.[footnoteRef:2] The source selected for this essay is adder's memoir composed in 1921, in which she details how female workers such as herself were manipulated by the erlin factory owners and how they were forced to work…

The example Xuela sees of womanhood, and the one she later repeats, is one of jealousy and spite. At one point, this step-mother even tries to kill Xuela with a necklace, piece of jewelry. This is another example of femininity -- this time in the form of a feminine object, the necklace -- being used in a destructive way. Xuela so identifies with this picture of women that she repeats the behavior without even understanding why, such as when she seduces her step-sister's lover or sleeps with other women's husbands.

Eventually, Xuela marries a rich white man who loves her, and she uses this love to make fun of him and control her world. This is the only way she has been taught to be a woman. She has almost all of the traditional negative "feminine" traits, such as jealousy, manipulation, and selfishness, but none of the good qualities. She…

Autobiography of Iviannette Figueroa

In this paper, I will describe my life and how my life experiences have shaped the person that I am today, how they have impacted my dreams, and what I intend to do in the future. In this paper I explore my childhood and how the difficulties that I encountered in that childhood have helped shape the woman I am today. The woman that I am today is a mother, a wife, and a student working towards admission into the respiratory therapist program. Generally, I have worked hard to put a difficult childhood behind me. As a result, I have to acknowledge that an autobiographical paper was very challenging for me. I do not like to think about how my childhood has impacted the woman that I am today. While I am generally self-confident, I realize that the things I like the least about myself are…

Sun Chief: Autobiography of a Hopi Indian is a book written by Don C. Talayesva, a Hopi who learned the ways of white people. Talayesva and Simmons write to educate the reader about the Hopi culture. The book is told from only one man's point-of-view and yet Talayesva writes in a way that introduces all readers to the unique ways of life shared by all the Hopi people. Although the narrative is told from a man's point-of-view, the reader understands what it means to be both a man and a woman in the Hopi society. In addition to discussing matters of gender, the author also delves into issues related to sexuality. hat makes Sun Chief: Autobiography of a Hopi Indian remarkable is the way that the book discusses Hopi culture in relation to the white oppressor. Talayesva writes for a white audience, and is deliberately provocative so that white people…

Slave

ho was Juan Francisco Manzano? hy did he write his Autobiography?

Juan Francisco Manzano was born in Cuba in the year 1797. For most of his life, he was a slave, but he learned how to read, write, and compose poetry because he was a domestic servant who had a benevolent mistress until he was ten years old. After that, Manzano continued to improve himself by memorizing poetry, painting, and making clothes. He wrote poetry throughout his life, and eventually caught the attention of a political group that helped to buy his freedom and publicize his writings. Manzano wrote his autobiography to apply his literary teachings and share the remarkable story of his life.

hat were his living and working arrangements? How did they differ from those of other slaves?

Until he was ten years old, Manzano had a mistress who did not treated him as a slave. It…

childhood, personal and academic experiences, and future goals. I describe my childhood and family, my current living situation, my personal and academic experiences and conclude with my views on the experience of writing an autobiography.

Description

I am a 28-year-old female, born the middle child to my mother and father. I have an older brother who is 30 years old as well as a younger sister, born 6 years after me, who is now 22. I grew up with my siblings and both of my parents, my mother and my father. My family was regular, both of my parents shared equally in disciplining me and my siblings. My father was the most dominant figure in the household, although really both of my parents played a very significant role in raising my siblings and myself. In truth, they would fluctuate between who was more dominant based on the specific issue. For…

Assata Shakur's Autobiography

Assata Shakur is a member of the Black Panthers and an activist. She is also an escaped convict and has been linked to the Black Liberation Army (BLA). She was accused of various crimes between 1971 and 1973, and became the subject of a police hunt that reached across several states (Christol, Gysin, & Mulvey, 2001). In 1973 she was part of a New Jersey Turnpike shootout where she was wounded along with a trooper. Another trooper and a BLA member were killed in that altercation. Between then and 1977, Shakur was indicted in relation to six other crimes, including armed robbery, murder and attempted murder, kidnapping, and robbing a bank (Christol, Gysin, & Mulvey, 2001). Three charges were dismissed, and she was acquitted on the other three charges. Then she was convicted in 1977 on eight felony counts including first-degree murder for the New Jersey Turnpike…

Myles Horton's autobiography The Long Haul is a source of inspiration for teachers and students alike as it provides a thought provoking perspective on the role of education as one where individual minds are molded into working towards social change. Horton's passionate belief in such a philosophy of education led him to establish the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee's Grundy County in 1932 with the aim of helping the rural and industrial adult community achieve social and economic justice. The strength of conviction, which Horton had in his philosophy of education, is evidenced by the fact that the Highlander school went on to play an important role in facilitating the labor rights movement and the civil rights movement, which took place around the mid-twentieth century. However, Horton's autobiography is of interest from more than just the historical relevance perspective as its real value lies in understanding Horton's sociocultural approach to…

Like Jesus, the Buddha was a teacher who cared about the poor and desired to liberate others from all of the suffering in the world. I learned that Buddha was born a wealthy man, but one day, when he had left his fine home, he saw men who were sick, old, and dying, and was instantly struck by the injustice of the world. He resolved to leave his comfortable life and to find Enlightenment as a result. For many years, he embarked upon a spiritual journey of extreme asceticism. Then, one day, while on a long and terrible fast, a young girl offered him a bowl of milk and rice. The Buddha was so moved by her gestures and the simplicity of her kindness he was able to achieve Enlightenment, or an understanding and acceptance of the impermanence of all things.

Although some people find Buddhism depressing, Buddhism's teaching about…

I studied there for two years and then again relocated to complete three years of college at California State Northridge.

My five years of education at these two universities, as well as my education in Australia have exposed me to many varied international peoples and has further broadened my understanding of the diversity of language and culture. As a student I am clearly focused on group work as an essential element of success in education and demonstration of knowledge and this has been greatly influenced by my exposure to many cultures and friendships with many diverse individuals. Group work is also essential in business and I hope that my focuses as a business/finance major in group work success will aide me extensively in my career.

Within the development of my personal and educational life I was drawn to Finance as a professional and degree goal. I have extended this commitment…

Larger Purpose: Autobigraphy

Autobiography: Not Simply the Telling of One's Own Story

The writing or even ghost writing of one's personal experience can simply be an attempt by one person to retell a story or stories of their own personal experience. Yet, to a large degree the work of autobiography serves greater purposes. Autobiography develops the idea of the value of the individual through personal expression, growth and demonstration of knowledge. ithin autobiography an individual, either writer or reader may find their own place in their universe, through both differences and similarities.

An autobiography is a strange beast. hile it offers unique access to the inner life of an individual from the perspective of the only person capable of assessing it, it is problematic precisely because the self-knowledge of first-person narrators is problematic. Autobiography also posits a coherent, defined self which occupies a position from which to look back and…

Assata Shakur's book ASSATA: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, essay talks concept, references book, books. I a summery book, autobiography controversies surrounding book. Just essay Assata Shakur's book ASSATA: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, concentrating ONE CENTRAL THESIS expanding .

While American justice praises itself as democratic and by any means the same to any human being, there are many people who doubt the righteousness of the system. Among these we find Assata Shakur, a 20th century political escaped slave who chose to transpose her life experience through Assata: An Autobiography, a manifest in shape of a book. Between her life growing up and her acknowledgements as a revolutionary, we find traces of a woman trying to discover not only her identity, but that of her people too. If choosing the name of Assata Olugbala Shakur is a symbolic sign to self-definition and freedom, we can expand the idea even further and connect it to the…

graduate studies in the USA, and have been here for 8 years. It was difficult for me to interact with the American people because it was a polarized interaction. When I first landed on American soil, I was hosted by an American family. There was a 10-year-old daughter in the family that hosted me. The distinction of our culture from theirs and the general approach and beliefs became apparent when I witnessed the girl's mother give her cold orange juice; though the girl had contracted flu. The Chinese believe that people who feel unwell should avoid cold drinks, believing that it aggravates the affliction. I had internalised the precaution from both family and friends back home. Indeed, people in China would disapprove serving cold juice/water to a sick person; particularly when it is flu. Concerned, I thought that I should speak out about the issue, I suggested that the girl…

The importance of a strong opening and closing, practicing, staying organized and focused and taking the stage with confidence are skills that I continue to apply in my class presentations.

At times my classes, especially the General Education classes, have been quite challenging. Having proven to myself that I have the intellectual capacity, discipline and drive to pass these classes, I am inspired and encouraged when presented with some of the challenges of life. A significant aspect of a college education is developing critical reasoning. It is not so much to memorize facts and figures, but to be able to penetrate ideas and concepts and extract their essence. Understanding the way mechanisms work is a sine-qua-non condition of gaining the ability to deconstruct ideas and theories and applying them to one's personal and professional life. It is through this kind of individualized approach, I believe, that higher education is particularly…

Personal Autobiography

If you have any questions about this paper, please contact our customer service department at series of painful incidents moulded me into the person I am now. It has taken years to alter my psychological responses, to mature, and to appreciate the value of hardship. Each of my personal obstacles has ultimately transformed my character.

I have only vague memories of my childhood. The time I spent with my mother, father, and brother remained cloudy until only recently. I recall doing everything with my family as a young child: our time was divided between our home in Florida, a boat on the river, and our home located in Lake of the Ozarks. I had little interaction with other children other than in school, and I had no involvement in activities that would have fostered social and educational development. Sitting on my father's lap while he sipped martinis was…

Language and Culture in Autobiography

Language, Culture and Identity in the writings of Maxine Hong Kingston, Richard Rodriguez and Alfred Kazin: degradation of culture, family and self"

Through the three autobiographical works, "Talk," by Maxine Hong Kingston, "Hunger of Memory," by Richard Rodriguez and "Brownsville School Days," by Alfred Kazin a reader can plainly comprehend the difficulties associated with immigration and language learning and how those difficulties interact with a developing child's mind. Though the cultures and languages of all three of these authors are vastly different and the severity of internal and external reactions they have to the circumstances their emotional and intellectual responses to their challenges are strikingly similar.

The simple voices of these three children of different cultures become complex words and ideas issued forth through the phenomena of growing up as an outsider and immigrant and most importantly a non-native English speaker. In these three works…

Essay Prompt:
Creative Non-Fiction Book/Movie Review
1. Write a 4-5 page book OR film review about one of the texts on the course—or choose from one of the texts below. You cannot write about one of the books, films, or authors you will be presenting on. Feel free to expand on one of your journal entries but be sure to add secondary sources to enhance your research. Submit a typed copy during the first class following reading week. Electronic submissions will not be accepted. 
* Use proper MLA format: 
* See  Libraries for how to write a book review: 
http://seneca.libguides.com/c.php?g=20655&p=120055
* See below for tips on writing film reviews: 
https://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/9-tips-for-writing-a-film-review/
Further Reading: (write about any one of the readings belows) 
Jill Conway: https://www.amazon.ca/When-Memory-Speaks-Exploring-Autobiography/dp/0679766456
Sonya Lea: https://www.amazon.com/Wondering-Who-You-Are-Memoir-ebook/dp/B00RKI3NAY
Regina McBride: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Songs-Memoir-Regina-McBride/dp/1941040438
Lacy M. Johnson: https://www.amazon.ca/Other-Side-Lacy-M-Johnson/dp/1935639838
Herta Müller: https://www.amazon.com/Land-Green-Plums-Herta-Müller/dp/0312429940
A.J. Albany: http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/2003/11/amy-albany-author-of-low-down-jazz-junk-and-other-fairy-tales-from-childhood/
Actual Essay:
When Conway claims in the first sentence of…

Booker T. Washington marks an epoch in the history of America. He was the greatest Negro leader since Frederick Douglass, and the most distinguished man, white or black, who came out of the South since the Civil War'" (Dagbovie). DuBois was also critical of Washington, however, and felt that he sometimes submitted to the will of whites, and lived between the black and white communities, attempting to get along with both (Dagbovie). Many other historians dispute this theory, feeling Washington maintained a healthy relationship with blacks and whites, and did much good for the black community.

Throughout his life, Washington was always concerned with the betterment of blacks and their economic and social condition. He believed education was the central point that would elevate blacks from poverty and despair. Another historian wrote, "Washington's concern was 'that slavery had left the [African-American] ill-prepared to care for himself'. In Washington's opinion, African-Americans…

This program experience, concurrent with my faith-based experience developing an additional residential treatment program provided the core of my personal and professional learning of both direct patient care and cemented my belief in the need for such programs to exists and grow to better meet the needs of the growing drug problem in my community and many others.

Upon completion of the position of Director of Residential Programs for the Jefferson County Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, I sought out in 2006 another position that would further my learning as a community service provider. My new task would be based around not the management of one county facility but the development of regional programming needs in the are as a member of the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission -- Quality Management-Substance Abuse Division. I currently hold this position which includes a variety of tasks and learning opportunities: Conducting organizational…

Personal Nursing Philosophy

My Nursing Autobiography

I have dreamt of being a nurse all my life. My mother and older cousins tell me stories of how I loved to line up my dolls and animals, place bandages over them to nurse their 'injuries' and stick branches in their armpits to have a feel of their temperature. Well, I believe these stories because to this day, these are the very things that keep my life going; I derive so much satisfaction from just being able to help people when they are in no position to help themselves. I took an elective nursing course in high school, where I was supposed to report at the local facility at least once every week to assist in the administration of basic care to patients. This marked the beginning of my career in nursing, and since then, I have logged almost 15 years of experience…

Auto Biography and Timeline

My family is of Irish descent. My great grandfather initially came to the United States during the potato famine that devastated so many Irish people during the middle of the 19th century. He was fortunate to escape in time before he was financially ruined, and was able to meet my great grandmother in New York where he attained a position in the financial industry. My family has largely remained in the U.S. ever since then.

As the oldest child in my family, I have been saddled with responsibility ever since I can remember. My parents had my sister a mere three years after they had me, and my little brother was born approximately two years later. My childhood was eventful to say the least. I have fond memories of playing with my siblings. However, whenever we got into mischief (which was inevitable for three children, especially…

Life gives people choices. These choices can lead to circumstances where people may feel lost. Tobacco, alcohol, legal and illegal drugs are part of life. Their influence is everywhere from social media to movies and even at home. What they may teach us is that sometimes when we choose to escape or to feel good, that is when we are our most vulnerable, that is when we may make mistakes. Because life isn't about being perfect, but rather what the imperfections teach us.

I have a sister who likes to drink. She's not your typical lush. She drinks only when she has the time to. This is usually at night and her drink of choice is a bottle of dry, red wine. She, like most people, has experimented with marijuana. The more marijuana lost its stigma, the more she felt it was okay to partake in it. She would get…

. Your thoughts on where you are coming fromAs it relates to where I am coming from in term of my interdisciplinary studies, I have 24 years of experience in the United States Navy. This experience has proven to be invaluable as it relates to my career aspirations and overall skill set. From a personal perspective, I am coming from many years of experiences travelling the world and adhering to very strict military standards and procedures. This has instilled a sense of discipline that is very difficult to replicate without years of experience with life and the natural vicissitudes that it brings with it. These experiences, particularly those with international counterparts, have broaden my perspective of the world. It has also enhanced my perspective of the position a United States citizen has in relation to others in the world. Many countries often acquiesce to our customs and beliefs as a…

Life Cycle

Today at the age of 54, when I look back at my life I feel an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Life has come with its ups and downs, but it has never been a burden and that is precisely what made my 54 years translate into an exciting experience. I got married, had children and raised a family with the support and love of my husband and while all this was going on, I also held on to my own personal dreams. But life is never a smooth journey for anyone. It puts you in the path of danger and death only to test the limits of your strength, courage and will to live. I guess it was all these three factors combined that helped me come out of some traumatic phases with renewed sense of self and a more positive outlook on life.

CHILDHOOD:

I…

Dance

Jose Quintero's If You Don't Dance they Beat You is a recounting of his career as a stage director, in particular his time in New York. He worked with a many famous actors during this period. The book contains a lot of valuable information for actors and other people in the theater about what the theater business is like.

He talks a lot about his career, and reflects on what it has meant to his life. He recounts how becoming successful changed him, and the way he looked at life. He captures well the spirit of the artist, the place from which the artist derives satisfaction and the challenges that the artist faces in finding satisfaction in art and life. It is quite relatable to people who have artistic tendencies, even those not as successful as Quintero was.

The title refers to the reality that in theater, or indeed…

autobiography Leadership, written by udolph Giuliani and Ken Kurson as the main resource for this biography of Giuliani. I have chose udy Giuliani for exemplary leadership because of his charisma, his fearless attitude, and the way he managed the crisis in New York City after the terrorist bombings of September 11, 2001. While Mr. Giuliani certainly is not a perfect man, he showed remarkable skill, empathy, and leadership when New York City (and the nation) needed it the most.

In addition, Mr. Giuliani is a charismatic man, and before the terrorist bombings, he was a controversial leader at best. Not everyone liked or admired him. He sometimes seems to have an abrasive and grating personality. I was interested to see how his persona before and after the terrorist attacks changed, and how he came to be a hero in the hearts and minds of a nation that had largely ignored…

The book Autobiography of My Dead Brother also deals with the identity crises of youth. It begins with three teenagers attending a funeral of their friend who died in a drive-by shooting. The main characters, Jesse and Rise, are not actually blood brothers, but they consider themselves brothers because of their close friendship. However, over the course of the book, the two young men began to become estranged. Rise becomes more and more interested with making a living on the street, selling drugs and living the life of the sort of people who killed Bobby, the boy whose funeral both young men attend at the beginning of the book. Rise justifies this because Bobby played by the rules and still died -- but in contrast, Jesse finds himself growing apart from his brother and instead finding refuge in art rather than violence. Defining his own values in contrast to those…

Lost Boy

David Pelzer's autobiography The Lost Boy (1997) is a very moving and disturbing account of his childhood experiences of severe abuse by his mother and abandonment by his father. He was removed from his mother's custody at age 12 by Child Protective Services and ended up in a series of foster homes for the next six years. He rarely spent more than a few months in each one, and did not receive the necessary psychological counseling that would have helped him resolve the issues of abuse and abandonment. Although David was grateful to the foster care system and believed it had literally saved his life, he recognized that it was often overwhelmed with the sheer volume of abuse cases and lacked a sufficient number of social workers and foster homes. On the whole, though, he was very satisfied with the social worker who saved him from his alcoholic…

Learner autobiography [EFLECT] Like most children, when I was very young I did not experience learning as a punitive exercise. Learning was fun and natural. While I was learning how to read I enjoyed how the teacher would read aloud to us; I remember learning about the multiplication tables using various piles of colored M&Ms. Unfortunately, around middle school there is often a period of resistance to learning, as students try to establish their own identities and view directions from the teacher in a negative light because they do not want an adult telling them what to do. Students are also aware enough that they are being 'taught' something but often question the applicability of that learning to what they consider real life.

[IDENTIFY] In college, I became more intellectually curious although I was still not 100% certain about what I needed to know for my future career. Still, I…

Nursing Philosophy

Concept Synthesis on Personal Nursing Philosophy

Nursing Autobiography

My interest in nursing peaked at an early age when I attended Clara Barton High School for health professions in Brooklyn NY and graduated in 1991. I first worked as a nurse's aide and home health aide for about two years and found this position to be quite rewarding. I subsequently moved to North Carolina where I took the CNA course in 1995 and began working as a CNA at various nursing homes and hospitals in the regional area. My experience as a CNA certainly helped me in my journey and provided the foundation for the later developments in my career.

Later I moved to Las Vegas in 1997 where I got married in 1998. After forming this union I went back to school for my BSN in 2002 while working as a CNA. I finished my BSN from Nevada…

Autobiography of onny Montgomery

Montgomery, onny. onny Montgomery: The Veteran's Champion. With Michael B. Ballard and Craig . Piper. University Press of Mississippi.

In an election year, it is common to become cynical about the motivations and the limited ability of the political process to enact real and serious changes to the nation's ideological and social infrastructure. However, the story of onny Montgomery: The Veteran's Champion is a powerful reminder of how politicians, specifically congressman onny Montgomery, a veteran of World War II and a beneficiary of the first GI bill, can indeed use the memory of powerful past personal experiences to motivate them to create positive political changes for the present and future generations. In Montgomery's case, as the title of the book implies, the source of the congressman's passion was his commitment to the nation's veterans, young and old.

Even before he came to congress and to public,…

Autobiography of Phillip Sgobba

Phillip Sgobba's passion for medicine was not the result of any innate desire nurtured from youth. True, he had been attracted to medicine and viewed it as a practice from which he could prosper -- but upon arriving at university, he doubted himself: his grades were mediocre at best. One subject especially -- Organic Chemistry -- simply befuddled him and no matter how he tried, he could not succeed at achieving excellent marks. Losing hope of ever advancing, he eventually dropped the class and ended the semester with a dismal 2.6 GPA. He was discouraged and began contemplating altering his course in life completely.

One evening, it was all altered for him -- because of a brutal attack, of which he was on the receiving end. Jumped by a gang of men on his way home one night, Phillip was badly beaten and suffered fractures to…

Michael Jones and I was born on the 19th of March, 1998, in Hawthorne, California. I am currently eighteen years old and in my fourth year of college. My parents are Stephen Jones and Callie Jones. Our family comprises of my father, mother, brother and a sister. My brother's name is James Arnold Jones and my sister's name is Joanne Jones. I am grateful to have my siblings and both of my parents in my life alive and healthy. I do not have a great deal of memory about my early childhood, but my mom incessantly mentions that I was a very lively, inquisitive, and talkative child. I was curious about everything and kept asking questions all the time, even without having to wait for the correct answers in response. It is for this reason that I assume my parents bought me numerous books as well as novels from an…

My appearance was always good and my ability to play on the piano, especially ragtime, which was then at the height of its vogue, made me a welcome guest."(Johnson, 139) Nevertheless, this only increases his feeling that he does not belong to his own race, and his sense that everything is a bitter irony. As the hero passes as a white man, he is forced many times to listen to unjust commentaries that are made against the black race and he realizes that he himself is ironically a disproof of these unfavorable remarks and an evidence that blackness does not render a man 'unfit': "The anomaly of my social position often appealed strongly to my sense of humor. I frequently smiled inwardly at some remark not altogether complimentary to people of color; and more than once I felt like declaiming, 'I am a colored man. Do I not disprove the…

Weldon Johnson

Separate the Races?

One of the most prevalent themes explored in James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man is the ramifications of miscegenation during America's racially charged late 19th/early 20th century epoch. Johnson's work highlights the daily vicissitudes that are a direct consequence of the taboo social mixing of African-Americans and Caucasians. Originally engendered as one of the many unforeseen products of this country's chattel slavery period, interracial coitus would go on to greatly alter the lives of all participants involved -- spanning across gender, color and age distinctions -- and produce a remarkable number of perverse situations for all parties.

This thesis particularly applies to the progeny of affairs of miscegenation -- the children who often endured a sense of alienation and isolation that distances them from being unconditionally accepted by both races, African-American and Caucasian (Williams 1987, 141). In the following quotations, the narrator…

Franklin's autobiography demonstrates a truly American kind of businessman, because he so neatly embodies all of the assumptions and logical fallacies that American capitalism depends on in order to justify its dominance in an ostensibly equitable and representative society.

Where Franklin's autobiography demonstrates the peculiar appeal to divine right that is used to justify the inequity of American capitalism, Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener demonstrates the almost willful obtuseness necessary for any apologists of capitalism who must interact with the exploited lower classes on a regular basis. The narrator of Bartleby the Scrivener is entirely unaware of anything outside the extremely limited range of his own preconceived ideas, which is both why Bartleby's passive resistance stuns him so much and he is ultimately unable to come to terms with Bartleby's death. He practically admits as much when he says "the easiest way of life is the best," because the easiest…

Pro- and Anti-Slavery Movement in the 19th Century American Society

The history of black slavery movement in the American society during the 19th century has become a common theme of debate and discussion between Americans for and against black slavery movement. There have been numerous literary works, essays, and other written works that discuss this primary issue of black American slavery in America during the 1800s. An example of these literary works is an essay by Thomas Jefferson entitled, "Notes on the State of Virginia," and an autobiography by Frederick Douglass entitled, "Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave." These two written works discuss the issue of black American slavery in America, with Jefferson defending and justifying the black slavery movement, while Douglass calls for a radical change and opposition against the said movement. These two written works will be critically analyzed in this paper, and by…