Autobiography vs. Biography What are the characteristics of a biography and an autobiography?

Autobiography The subject is the author. Recounts key incidents in the subject’s life. Written in first person point of view. Reveals the writer’s feelings, reactions, values, and goals.

Biography Tells about a real person. Tells about key events in the person’s (subject’s) life. Written in the third person point of view.

Reading #1: Aunt Cindy was a big part of Jane’s childhood. Jane and her parents visited Aunt Cindy at least once a month. Jane remembers many visits to Aunt Cindy’s tiny, dark apartment. It was very quiet in that building– maybe because tenants were not allowed to have children or pets. In spite of that, Aunt Cindy found a way to express her love for animals; she spent days working at an animal shelter near her home, and scouting out alleyways for strays and finding them homes.

READING 2: Aunt Cindy was a big part of my childhood. My parents and I visited her at least once a month. I remember many visits to Aunt Cindy’s tiny, dark apartment. It was very quiet in that building– maybe because tenants were not allowed to have children or pets. In spite of that, my Aunt Cindy found a way to express her love for animals; she spent days working at an animal shelter near her home, and scouting out alleyways for strays and finding them homes.

Autobiography or Biography? Harriet Tubman was born around 1820 in Maryland. Her parents were slaves, so she also was a slave when she was born. She had to work even when she was a little child. When she was twelve years old, she suffered a serious injury when an overseer threw a heavy weight which hit her in the head. After that incident she slept a lot. This condition remained with her the rest of her life. People with narcolepsy will suddenly fall asleep wherever they happen to be. When she was 25, she married John Tubman who was not a slave, but a free African American.

Autobiography or Biography? However, I became very frustrated because I couldn't talk. I became very angry and began to throw temper tantrums. My family knew they had to do something to help me. They found a teacher named Anne Sullivan. Miss Sullivan herself had been blind, but had an operation and regained her sight. She understood what I was feeling. She taught me the signs for the letters of the alphabet. Then she would "spell" the words in my hand to communicate with her.

Autobiography or Biography? Galileo Galilei was an influential scientist and one of the early developers of the refracting telescope. In 1632 Galileo published a book called Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, in which he compared the Copernican view of a heliocentric universe, one where the sun is at the center, with the geocentric view, one in which the Earth is at the center. The Church took offense as to how Galileo portrayed the geocentric view using a character named Simplicio, which has undertones of simpleton in the Italian language, and he was put on trial before the Roman Inquisition. The Inquisition ordered Galileo to recant his ideas, his book was banned, he was forbidden from publishing anything else, and he was sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life. I guess it’s not just what you say that’s important but how you say it.

Autobiography or Biography? Our form master came into the classroom with a piece of paper in his hand. ‘The following are to report to the Headmaster’s study at once,’ he said. ‘Thwaites…Dahl…’ And then he read out the other three names which I have forgotten. The five of us stood up and left the room. We didn’t speak as we made our way down the long corridor into the Headmaster’s private quarters where the dreaded study was situated. Thwaites knocked on the door. ‘Enter!’ We sidled in. The room smelled of leather and tobacco. Mr. Coombes was standing in the middle of it, dominating everything, a giant of a man if ever there was one, and in his hands he held a long yellow cane which curved round the top like a walking stick. ‘I don’t want any lies,’ he said. ‘I know very well you did it and you were all in it together. Line up over there against the bookcase.’ Excerpt from Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl