Black Boy (Memoirs)

Why do people write memoirs?
What power is there in telling our own stories?

I think that people write memoirs for the purpose of expressing themselves. It is a form of art that allows someone to tell someone else their story. It allows us to share experiences, relate to someone else, and learn from our (and their) mistakes. When you write a memoir, it often captures the essence of a key event in your life that shaped you and taught you something. By expressing our own, we can let others see our message. Also, we can read others stories and discover things about them. This allows us to see as others do, and to learn something without the need of an experience. Another reason people write memoirs is to come to terms with ourselves.

When writing a memoir, we put down on paper, analyse and often critique are experiences. Most importantly, we accept our past actions, good or bad. By writing a memoir, the author is able to fully appreciate what lesson they may have learned from their experience. Any grief, embarrassment or guilt will, through accpetance, be something forgotten but not lost. I believe that we, as authors, write memoirs so that we may be able to come to terms with our past and benefit from lessons learned.