Lesson 3:

Writing that Reveals Identity

Much of what we find interesting or entertaining has to do with storytelling. Telling stories about one's own life or hearing about the lives of others such as family members, members of the community, historical figures, or famous people can be both entertaining and informative.

Does "everyone have a story to tell"? Many people are very interested in sharing stories about themselves. Others love to write and tell stories about other people. Writing about oneself is called an autobiography. Writing about another person is called a biography. There are short pieces ranging from a few paragraphs to large books that are hundreds of pages long dedicated to telling the stories of people's lives. People are so interested in hearing about the lives of others that there is even a television channel called " Biography"!

This lesson is focused on learning about autobiographical and biographical writing. You will learn more about yourself and others as you work through this lesson.

Courtesy of Getty

In this lesson, you will:

• explore various types of writing that reveal identity of others and self
• learn the definition and characteristics of a biography
• learn the definition and characteristics of an autobiography