Memoir Reflection

 Mary Karr's perspective on memoirs is honest and interesting. Again, the topic of memory and accuracy is brought up when referring to writing a memoir. She talks about the lesson she teaches that involves students reporting on a scene she reenacts with a colleague. It is videotaped but the recording is not viewed until after the students have written down what they recall from the event. Karr mentions that despite the intelligence levels of some of her students, almost everyone remembers the scene differently than how it actually occurred. When concerning a memoir, the exercise emphasizes that memory is just fragments of images and dialogue compacted into something that might not be entirely authentic. 

The example of the memoir provided, written by Jeanette Winterson, is white vulnerable. She explains her upbringing, and her reasoning behind writing. Having been adopted, she explains that often there is a void that simply cannot be filled by any guardian, no matter how kind or loving. I really enjoyed when she begin speaking about her past book. While it was about her, she is truthful in saying that she embellished certain parts just because it felt right. I also appreciate that she takes the time to talk about how her mother felt knowing much of what Winterson wrote about was in direct relation to her.