Memoir Lesson 1

“Writers are the custodians of memory, and that’s what you must become if you want to leave some kind of record of your life [. . .]. Whatever it is, it’s an important kind of writing. Too often memories die with their owner, and too often time surprises us by running out.”

How to Write a Memoir by William Zinsser

Which statement below best states Zinsser's claim?

• Writing shows the truth, especially because we write down thoughts we are too afraid to say aloud.

• Writing does not effectively provide future generations with information about their ancestors.

• Writers take care of or keep memories and if we want the story of our lives to be remembered, we must write down our memories.

• Writing down memories is less effective than verbally sharing our stories with loved ones.

Which of the following best describes the primary structure of "How to Write a Memoir"?

• The author uses the experiences of famous authors to introduce the process of writing a memoir.

• The author combines his advice on how to write a memoir with personal experiences and anecdotes.

• The author uses memories of former students to explain his advice on how to write a memoir.

• The author uses a variety of literary texts to illustrate how a memoir is written.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

What is a Memoir?

• an account of a person's life written by that person.

• a story of a life experience that taught you something about yourself

• a personal essay that explores an event that a person has experienced. It’s different from a personal narrative in that the writer usually reflects on the event and what it means.

• the process or practice of thinking or telling about past experiences

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RI.9-10.10