How My Ideas About Autobiographies has Changed

Throughout the last two terms we read many different autobiographical text and scholarly articles that all had an impact on changing several of my ideas. However, what struck me the most this term was learning about the potential for autobiographies to give a voice to marginalized people, as well as the variety of people and stories that are out there. Previously I had considered autobiographies to be individuals’ stories, but not necessarily something that would give a voice to a group of people. Recognizing all the different types of people and groups that are marginalized, and how to see through the hegemonic stereotypes the west creates for them, was perhaps the biggest thing that changed for me this year.

Missing Sarah, as well as Post Secret, Storycorps and Humans of New York, had the biggest impact on me, raising ideas that I had not previously thought about. These sites really put into perspective how many different types of people are out there. Some of the people’s stories on the websites did not seem to label them into a specific, known group. That being said, their unique perspectives could be relatable to many other people.

After reading Missing Sarah, my view of sex workers as well as people heavily addicted to drugs, greatly changed. I didn’t really know what to think about sex workers before, except that I did not regard them in high esteem. This memoir helped me see through their profession and regard their personhood, not just for Sarah, but for most sex workers.

The Online Media representation took on a different form of storytelling that allowed even more peoples’ stories to be told. This both informed me about the many stories out there and put into perspective for me just how wide my “knowledge gap” is, as there were so many different experiences posted on the sites that I could not imagine.

Previously I would have read autobiographies as an individual’s story, but not considered the effects it could have on a group of people. Missing Sarah, Storycorps, Humans of New York and Post Secret, gave a voice to many people who could not have previously been heard. Their individual stories, as well as the many other autobiographical texts we read this year, could be applied to many marginalized people, giving them a voice and allowing the world to see them from a different perspective. Thus, my ideas about the use and potential of autobiographies has changed.

Works cited:

Vries, Maggie De. Missing Sarah: A Memoir of Loss. Toronto: Penguin Canada, 2008. Print.