Journaling exists as a principal source of identity. It allows the journaler to capture pieces of the past which may have been lost if not physically documented. The influence of journaling on identity is as much a result of the method, objective, and outcome of the writing as it is the face value documentation of the experience. Kathleen Gerard and Robin Hemley share their distinct journaling routines and describe a similar tendency to incorporate elements of journal entries into their respective fictional writing. Thus, their journaling habits become intrinsic to their literary identity as well as their overall conception of self. Kathleen Gerard developed her propensity for journaling through observation and emotional trauma. The abrupt death of her father left Gerard overwhelmed with grief and lacking a suitable outlet. She portrays the impromptu purchase of a notebook as an act of desperation and describes her preliminary journaling as having “no rules,” (Raab 63) because although she had …show more content…
He describes journal writers as “a special breed,” saying they are “suspicious of their own memories, like tourists taking snapshots of everything they see” (Raab 17). Hemley distinguishes journalers as “different from diarists who are fascinated with their own lives … journal keepers are snoops, enthralled with everyone else’s life” (Raab 18). This specification places emphasis on first impressions and discourages the influence of self consciousness. Hemley offers the term “lapidary” to describe such writing. He says “I’m simply snatching a moment, a phrase, a detail that otherwise would have been forgotten, and telling myself, here, remember this because it might be Art … someday. But not now.” (Raab 19) Like, Gerard, Hemley uses his journaling as a basis for his literary identity as he transitions the aforementioned lapidaries into “kernels” (Raab 18) for poems, short stories, and even entire
“On Writing – A Memoir of the Craft” is not written in the traditional textbook format. The structure of this book works as an educational tool is because it offers a personal look at how writing has affected one successful novelist's life. Each section of the book contains something important about the craft of writing. The book also includes a great deal of about the personal impact writing has had on Stephen King's life.
Writing is a form of communication that can be expressed in various ways. The short story “On Keeping a Notebook” written by Joan Didion guides the reader through her thinking process as she tries to answer why and what it means to write in her notebook. Although, it can be difficult to follow and understand her thinking it fascinates me to see her thinking process come to a full circle. I felt a personal connection with her when she writes “We are brought up in the ethic that others, any others, all others, are by definition more interesting that ourselves; taught to be diffident, just that this side of self-effacing.” Didion’s statement made me realized the experiences one has can affect one’s perspective as one writes and reads despite how
I keep my journal hidden; the script, the drawings, the color, the weight of the paper, contents I hope never to be experienced by another. My journal is intensely personal, temporal and exposed. When opening the leather bound formality of Alice Williamson's journal a framework of meaning is presupposed by the reader's own feelings concerning the medium. Reading someone else's diary can be, and is for myself, an voyeuristic invasion of space. The act of reading makes the private and personal into public. Yet, for Alice Williamson and many other female journalists of the Civil War period, the journal was creating a public memory of the hardship that would be sustained when read by others. The knowledge of the outside reader reading of your life was as important as the exercise of recording for one's self; creating a sense of sentimentality connecting people through emotions. (Arnold)
It should be noted that gaining an identity in autobiographical writing is crucial “because literacy becomes a way of creating an identity where before there was none in the public discourse” (Finkelman, vol.2, 190). Although the identities of William and Ellen Craft may have been revealed partially before their narrative, their own words and experience have a much greater impact on the reader than if told by a secondary source.
The first writing influence in Hemmingway’s life came from his first job, as a reporter at the Kansas City Star newspaper. The Star’s style and usage book advocated using short sentences, active verbs, authenticity, clarity, smoothness, and writing in a positive tone. This left an impression on Hemmingway that can be seen in all of his writing. He called them “the best rules I ever learned in the business of writing” and, based upon his work, never forgot them. (Online ref. #2) While working at The Star, Hemmingway made the next major decision in his life, joining the Red Cross to help in the war effort in Europe. (Online Ref #3)
Joan Didion in her essay, “On Keeping a Notebook”, stresses that keeping a notebook is not like keeping a journal. Didion supports her claim by describing entries that are in her notebook. The author’s purpose is to enlighten the reader as to what a notebook is. The author writes in a nostalgic tone for those who are reading the essay, so that they can relate to her. She uses rhetorical appeals; such as flashback, pathos, and imagery to name a few. By using these devices she helps capture the reader’s attention.
Defining a person is not as easy as looking through a dictionary. Inferring, thinking, and a thoughtful mind are all required in illustrating the true person. The shaping of one’s identity is all based on events that happen to a person. Many sources of literature prove that the major aspect in shaping one’s identity is memories. In literature, they include the fundamentals of memories in their morals. The importance of memories is significantly shown in The Outsiders when Johnny acts differently because of his abusive childhood; in S.E. Hinton’s Letter, when she talks about how her wish of becoming a writer became her future and her true identity; and Julian Baggini’s lecture, where he directly said that memories shape who “you” are. Johnny’s abusive past and S.E.’s longing for a life away from social struggles all shaped who they later became. The uniqueness of a person’s personality is determined mainly on one’s memories.
Authors are frequently categorized in some ways by the particular era they are writing in. This often gives a sense of what message the speaker is trying to relay, and the context in which the author is writing. Addressing the issue of self identity through this context allows a
Orenstein, Peggy. “What’s Wrong with Cinderella?” The New York Times Magazine. 4 Dec. 2006. Rpt. in Writing Communities and Identities. Ed. Cynthia Debes et al. 6th ed. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2009. 50-54.
Many authors use their own life experiences or situations when writing certain literary works, such as a poem or short story. One is able to see how this statement is true with D.H. Lawrence’s literary works, “A Rocking-Horse Winner” and “Piano”. Both of Lawrence’s literary works displays a persona of a little boy, which very well represents the inner character of himself. Lawrence uses biographical aspects in both his short story and poem that portray the emotions he felt throughout his childhood. Although, both these works displays similar aspects when representing a biographical view of Lawrence’s life, they differ in the type of relationship that is shown between the boy and his mother.
There are a lot of things that people do to relieve pain, stress and emotions, one of them being writing. Simply writing down their thoughts can be relieving to them and a healthy way to let out anything that they might not want to tell others. Things that influence a person’s writing varies from emotions and their personal experiences. However, these experiences can be hard for some people, which can result in a huge conflict in their writing. Although, sometimes it has a negative connotation, many times it does not necessarily mean that it changes a person 's perspective. Often people learn good things from bad experiences, to prevent others from happening to them as said by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in her story “The Yellow Wallpaper” or
Do you remember when your sister used to write in her diary and how curious you were on finding out what she wrote in it? If you didn’t have a sister – do you remember keeping your own diary hoping that your mom would not find it one day and read it? At a young age, we all learn to keep a diary or journal. In elementary school, we may have been required to write in a journal in class replying to a question asked by the teacher like “How was your weekend?” or “How was your break?” Simple questions were asked to help generate ideas in our young minds and help us write our own story. But now that we are older, do we still have the opportunity to write our own story the same way we used to? Are we still able to release our emotions and reflect on events in our lives? Though many people see keeping a journal as childish or a waste of time, the effects of recording ones thoughts are beneficial.
We trace her struggles with personal grief, a restricted social life, socio-economic decline, and romantic misfortune, a long history of trauma and repression.”(445)
Carlisle, Janice. “The Mirror In the Mill on the Floss; Toward Reading of Autobiography Discourse”. Studies in the Literary Imagination. Vol 23:Issue 2. [EBSCO] Masterfile Premier 1990
Interested in writing the story of your life, but never thought of yourself as a writer? Maybe you once had aspirations of writing, but critique, or the responsibilities of life, derailed your dream? Or do you believe that only celebrities have life experiences worth recording for posterity? Autobiography writing can be described as, “the story of your best friend told by your worst enemy.” What is discovered through participating in a weekly Autobiography Writing Workshop is that it is not about grammar or exceptional prose, grades or competition. Living a life of destructive abandon isn’t required to have a story to tell. Autobiography is the journey that is uniquely your own, lived