Autobiography Essays (Examples)

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Essay
Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography
Pages: 4 Words: 1313

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 his autobiography…...

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Bibliography

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Forgotten Books,

1966.

Hamelman, Steven L. "Autobiography and Archive: Franklin, Jefferson, and the Revised Self."

The Midwest Quarterly 43, no. 2 (2002): 125-42.

Essay
Autobiography X Malcolm X's Autobiography Provides Poignant
Pages: 3 Words: 1071

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 that the…...

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Works Cited

Malcolm X: The Official Website. Retrieved online:  http://www.malcolmx.com/ 

Malcolm X and Haley, Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X Boston: Ballantine, 1987.

Essay
Autobiography Narratives
Pages: 20 Words: 7098

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 I…...

Essay
Autobiography Alice Toklas Successful
Pages: 2 Words: 756

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 contains anecdotes of…...

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Bibliography

Barros, Carolyn A. 1999. Getting Modern: The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas. Project Muse.

22 (2): 177-208

Lewis, Pericles. 2012. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas. The Modernism Lab at Yale

University. Available:   [6 Apr 2013]http://modernism.research.yale.edu/wiki/index.php/The_Autobiography_of_Alice_B._Toklas 

Essay
Autobiography My Name Is Asia Octavia Raheem
Pages: 4 Words: 1042

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 counters, strong…...

Essay
Autobiography 'I Don't Know Jon Switching Paths
Pages: 4 Words: 1338

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 just spent the…...

Essay
Autobiography I Am a Spanish
Pages: 5 Words: 2186

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…...

Essay
Autobiography of Malcolm X The
Pages: 3 Words: 1045

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 unfair America. Malcolm…...

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Bibliography

Malcolm X, Haley, Alex, Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley, Randomhouse, 2006

Malcolm X, 19 March 2008. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmalcolmX.htm

The legacy of Malcolm X, 19 March 2008.  http://www.colostate.edu/Orgs/MSA/find_more/m_x.html 

Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia, the Nation of Islam, 19 March 2008.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_of_islam

Essay
Autobiography of a Reader
Pages: 7 Words: 2133

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 ebb and…...

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Some of the books I have read most recently, while in college, have included Five Minutes to Midnight and Race and Sports in the 1990's; What's Wrong with Sports, by Howard Cosell with Shelby Whitfield; Finding the Winning Edge, by Bill Walsh; Seven Habits of Highly Effective People b y Stephen Covey; My Life by Bill Clinton; See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar; Who Moved my Cheese, by Spencer Johnson; You're OK, It's Just a Bruise, by Ray Huizenga, M.D.;, Before and Beyond Harlem; by Langston Hughes; The Rest of the Iceberg, by Robert Smith; The History of the Games and Great Players, by Robert Smith, and The Debt: What America Owes Blacks, by Randall Roberts.

I have also recently read Ruby Sweetwater and the Ringo Kid, by Sheldon Bart; A Hard Road to Glory: Football, by Arthur R. Asche, Jr.; The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni; and Blaming the Victim by William Ryan. I believe that a lot of these titles follow a "how to" and/or self-improvement emphasis, and I suppose that from that fact, since this is clearly my current reading pattern, I can conclude that such topics are what most interest me at present in terms of casual and my academic reading alike, whenever I can choose.

Looking back, I guess that my reading tastes, like those of others, probably, have changed with the times. When I was younger and had more time, I read a lot of things "just because," that is, because they might turn out to interest me, or whatever. Now, since time is limited, I read mostly books that I can justify to myself as being helpful or constructive in some way, either for college or for my future careers. Even the biographies; self-help books, and other books I read nowadays tend to fall into that category. I guess my reading tastes reflect the way I have changed and reset my priorities over the years. I am glad, though, that when I was younger, I either wanted to read, or was required to read so many books I probably would neither choose to read nor have time to read now.

Essay
Autobiography My Memory From Ten
Pages: 4 Words: 1535

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 way,…...

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Sources

The Library of Congress. U.S. History: From Slavery to Freedom: The African-American Pamphlet Collection, 1822-1909.  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/collections/slavery/history.html 

The Library of Congress. Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives form the Federal Writers' Project.  http://memory.loc.gov/learn/collections/born_slavery/history.html

Essay
Autobiography the Dental Hygienist Program
Pages: 2 Words: 636

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 level…...

Essay
Autobiography All About Me Because
Pages: 10 Words: 3652

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…...

Essay
Autobiography Sample Before My Mom
Pages: 3 Words: 1060

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…...

Essay
Autobiography the First Low Point
Pages: 2 Words: 594

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, someone…...

Essay
Autobiography Was Born Cameron Jon
Pages: 2 Words: 563


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 such…...

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We 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 Woodlands, where I have attended school since the end of the 5th grade. While 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 such a commitment that it left little time for tennis. Considering the adjustment to a different teaching system, I have done quite well in school here, and have received three Academic letters, and am in the top ten percent of my class.

Since my sister goes to University in the U.K, we have traveled there several times during recent years, as well as Florida, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Middle East. We went back to Aberdeen this past summer to watch my sister graduate and attend the Graduation Ball where I wore the full highland gear.

Q/A
can you help me with recommendations for a good essay title for a book report on helen keller?
Words: 235

Straightforward Titles

Helen Keller: Overcoming Adversity
The Triumph of Helen Keller's Spirit
A Life of Learning: Helen Keller's Story
Helen Keller: Beyond Sight and Sound
Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan: A Transformational Relationship

More Creative Titles

The World Helen Built: A Story of Resilience
Unseen, Unheard, Unstoppable: Helen Keller's Legacy
From Silence to a Voice: Helen Keller's Journey
Breaking the Barriers: Helen Keller's Fight for Disability Rights
The Miracle of Language: Helen Keller's Triumph

Others

"Unveiling the Extraordinary Life of Helen Keller: A Book Report"
"The Triumph of the Human Spirit: A Journey Through Helen Keller's Story"
"Helen Keller: A Beacon of Resilience and Inspiration"

Q/A
How has mixing up humorous experiences in your autobiography enhanced the storytelling?
Words: 351

Mixing up humorous experiences in an autobiography can enhance storytelling in several ways. Firstly, humor can provide a lighter tone to what might otherwise be a heavy or serious narrative, making it more engaging and entertaining for the reader. It can also create contrast and balance within the story, showcasing the ups and downs of the author's life.

Additionally, humor can help to humanize the author and make them more relatable to the reader. By sharing funny anecdotes and embarrassing moments, the author can show their vulnerabilities and flaws, making their story more authentic and genuine.

Furthermore, humor can serve as a....

Q/A
How has mixing up humorous experiences in your autobiography enhanced the storytelling?
Words: 566

Incorporating Humor into Autobiographies: Enhancing Storytelling and Audience Engagement

Autobiographies, by their very nature, invite readers into the personal journeys and experiences of the author. While most autobiographies aim to capture the complexities of life, including both triumphs and challenges, incorporating humorous anecdotes can significantly enhance the storytelling experience. Here's how humor can elevate an autobiography:

1. Breaks Down Barriers and Fosters Connection:

Humor has a disarming effect that can break down barriers between the author and the reader. It establishes a common ground, creating a sense of camaraderie. When readers laugh alongside the author, they feel a deeper connection, making them more....

Q/A
How does Martin Luther King Jr. structure his arguments in the Letter from Birmingham Jail?
Words: 627

I. Introduction

  1. Background on Martin Luther King Jr.

    1. Overview of his civil rights activism
    2. Significance of the Letter from Birmingham Jail

II. Arguments in the Letter from Birmingham Jail

  1. Call for Nonviolent Protest

    1. Explanation of the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance
    2. Comparison to violent protests
  2. Critique of Moderate White Christians

    1. Addressing the role of white moderates in perpetuating segregation
    2. Criticism of their lack of action and complacency
  3. Defense of Civil Disobedience

    1. Justification of breaking unjust laws peacefully
    2. Importance of civil disobedience in....

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