Memoir as Metaphor: A Study of The Relationship Between Readers, History, and Memoir

Abstract

This paper examines the scope of memoirs through a multidimensional study of American life writing from the early 1700s through 2020 with the arrival of covid-19. By examining the relevant historical presence of memoirs in the United States, I clarify the aptness of the genre in its own right, which has often been contested, and argue for it as a lens through which to discern the intersection of culture and literature. The primary materials studied include, but are not limited to, the life writing of Benjamin Franklin, Frederick Douglass, Gore Vidal, and Barack Obama. These and more like them are analyzed on both a technical and theoretical level to identify key traits of memoirs that have persisted through history, and what qualifies some to be more popular than others. I use two research methods: (1) a qualitative analysis of specific memoirs and their reception, and (2) a quantitative analysis of memoir sales during three critical moments in contemporary America. I obtained information from books, newspapers, interviews, archives, journals, and statistical databases. This paper challenges the impetus to take memoirs for granted on an academic level, and explores the applicability of the genre, especially as its frequently used: to motivate and unify its readers. This paper also considers the relationship between readers and the genre by studying the expectations placed on memoirs. While the literary landscape of the United States has shifted alongside major technological innovations and cultural progression through the centuries, the contemporary function of memoir can be traced to the early days of the colonies. By understanding this lineage, one can more easily recognize the value and use of memoirs in times of cultural crises, such as 9/11 and the Covid-19 pandemic.