Power of Autobiography
... Temple AFST 100-Introduction to the Black Experience 14 July 2003 The Power of Autobiography This essay is an exploration of the power of the autobiography based on the study of excerpted chapters from Mark Kacfs Enigmas of Chance and Kirk Franklinfs Church boy. ... Also, the justification for the excerption of selected chapters serves to show that in a society where instant gratification is the focus of technology, so too can this concept be applied to experiencing the power of autobiography. In Enigmas of Chance and Church boy, despite clear personal differences between the authors, the power of autobiography manifests itself through the transparent expression of the authorsf lives and, the education and inspiration of the reader. The frankness of an author in an autobiography is what sets autobiographies aside from all other genre of books. ... Kac, from the very beginning establishes that he is willing to give personal information, which is not actually necessary to illustrate his recurring honesty throughout his autobiography. ... With an openness to accept what is being read, subsequently this enables the reader to experience the power of autobiography. ... When a reader picks up an autobiography, and intends to read it, the reader forms a temporary, intimate relationship with the author. ... Though it is hard to admit his past actions to anybody who chooses to read his autobiography, his honesty is necessary in dissipating the universal power of autobiography to his broad audience. ... In turn, the truth one finds in an autobiography encourages a sense of empathy for the reader. As a result of the realism and the divulgence of embarrassing moments, the authors extend the common power of autobiographies, though they come from entirely different backgrounds. The education of a man is one of the greatest consequences of reading and writing an autobiography. ... The power in this part of the autobiography is restricted by means of the level of comprehension and prior experience with the subject matter, however the power still exists.