What makes a memoir A Memoir?

Using rich detail, memoirs tell a personal story in which an event or series of events leads the writer to new insights about life. They tend to have these main features:

What happens after each person tells his or her story?

After each person tells his or her story, com- pare the organization of the story to the typical organization of a memoir. What are some of the similarities and differences between these funny stories and memoirs?

What does Thaddeus Gunn write about in this memoir?

In this memoir, author Thaddeus Gunn describes the physical abuse he and his siblings experienced from his mother. He discusses how this abuse shaped his life and the lives of others. Watch how he reveals the lesson of the narrative in a subtle way at the end.

How do you write a memoir about your past?

The aim of your memoir is to explore the meaning of an event or series of events from your past. When you start out, don’t be too concerned about the point of your mem- oir. Instead, choose an interesting incident from your life that you want to explore in greater depth.