Biography
The Basic Definition • A subgenre of narrative nonfiction/his- torical nonfiction. • Presents the facts about an individual's life and makes an attempt to interpret those facts, explaining the person's feelings and motivations. Good biogra- phers use many research tools to gather and synthesize information about their subject, including the person’s words, actions, journals, reactions, related books, interviews with friends, rela- tives, associates and enemies, historical context, psychology, primary source documents. Purpose Often to understand the person and the events and history affected by that person. |
Tip-Offs
• Often starts with birth or early life and often covers birth-to-death. • Often delves in to a person's formative years, exploring early influences on a subject's later life. • Situates person’s life in historical terms and a cultural context. • Uses direct quotes from person and those who knew her. • Sometimes uses fictionalized scenes/dia- logues but always based on what is known about the person and the events described. • Often uses pictures, maps, photo- graphs, or other historically available documents. • Biographer possesses a point of view, a larger agenda, and a purpose in report- ing on the person’s life. |