Why Do We Write Memoirs?

I think people write memoirs because it is a way for them to put a little piece of themselves out into the world. They can share who they are, and how they felt, with everyone. There is alot of power in that. The author is able to make people feel like they know that author, and that they can relate to him/her. It can also be a release. An angry memoir probably meant that at the time, that person was housing alot of anger. But instead of taking it out in a "typical" way, they chose to write about how they felt about it, and how they experienced the event. They make us feel their anger, which as a reader, as a huge effect. Memoirs can also be about life experiences and lessons. Black Boy, for example, was all about the choices that Richard Wright made, and the lessons he learned from each of his choices. We as the reader can see his struggles with poverty, peers, and authority. He chooses to leave home, and as a result is free from a stifling life. That part of the memoir teaches the reader that breaking away can free our minds. We also get to see Richard looking back on the events of his life, showing how much he has grown up. When you write a memoir, it can be difficult, because you really are putting a little bit of your life out in the world for everyone to see. But in a way most people deep down want their lives to be remembered and their stories to be heard. A memoir is a way for your own story to be heard, loud and clear.