What is an Autobiography?
An autobiography is a non-fictional story about someone's life written in the first person by a subject him/herself. This means that the writer is the main character and tells the story from their own perspective.
The purpose of writing an autobiography is to provide a detailed account of the narrator's life story. This includes highlighting the narrator's accomplishments and any important life events.
The autobiography style tells the story of someone's life. It starts with their early childhood and goes chronologically through each experience they had.
Autobiographies include details about where someone grew up, their career, any life choices they made, as well as their accomplishments and challenges. Autobiographies written by the subject also include birthplace and education.
Elements of an Autobiography
Following are the essential elements of an autobiography:
- It is written in the first person.
- It is more private than a biography.
- A complete story of the subjects’ life is covered in it.
- It elaborates to the audience about the life experiences of the author and his accomplishments.
Examples
- ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank
- ‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller
What is a Biography?
A biography is a story about someone's life. It is usually written by someone who is not that person. Biographies are often written about famous people, like sportsmen, motivational speakers, or inspirational figures.
A biography only includes important information about a person's life. This includes where they were born, what school they went to, their childhood experiences, any partners they have been involved with, and so on.
Elements of a Biography
Following are the essential elements of a biography:
- It is written in the third-person perspective.
- It has a chronological order.
- It is more formal and unbiased than an autobiography.
- Covers the major events of the authors’ life.
- Ensure the information provided is accurate through proper research.
Examples
- ‘Einstein: The Life and Times’ by Ronald William Clark
- ‘His Excellency: George Washington’ by Joseph J. Ellis
Autobiography vs. Biography - The Major Differences
There are a few differences between biographies and autobiographies, even though they may seem similar.
Following are those differences.
| Characteristics | Autobiography | Biography |
| Authorship | Written by the subject him/herself. | Never written by the subject him/herself. |
| Point of View | Authors' own point of view | Consists of the writers' point of view. |
| Authorization | It is always legal. | It is published with the consent of the person whose story is being narrated. |
| Degree of Objectivity | It is less objective as it includes all the life events. | It is more objective as it includes specific life events. |
Similarities between an Autobiography and a Biography
Both biographies and autobiographies tell the story of someone's life. However, there are some similarities which are as follows:
- Primary and Main Goal: The main goal of both types of non-fictional stories is to tell the story and life events of a person's life.
- Non-fiction Works: Nonfiction novels are books that tell true stories. Autobiographies and biographies tell the story of a person's life, including significant events. So these two are examples of non-fictional novels.
- Prominent Figures as Subjects: A biography and autobiography is a true story about someone who is well-known and has done something remarkable.
People often think that because these things are similar, they are the same which is not true.
Autobiography vs. Memoir vs. Biography
This is a chart that compares the differences between three different types of work. Have a look at these for a quick understanding.
| Autobiography | Memoir | Biography |
| Written by the main character himself | An account of a specific timeframe | Written by someone else |
| 1st person narrative | 1st person narrative | 3rd person narrative |
| Subjective in nature | Subjective in nature | Objective in nature |
| Personal facts and account of person | Personal experience | Researched facts |
| Written to informant motivate | Written to explore and reflect | Write to inform and create a context |
| Personal thoughts and feelings | Personal thoughts and feelings | It presents the facts |
| Written later in life | Written any time in life | Written any time in life |
Are Autobiography and Memoir the Same?
A biography is about the life of one person, whereas a memoir is not always about the author's life. The memoir focuses on emotions and feelings.
An autobiography is a book that tells the story of someone's life, in chronological order. It is written in a formal, non-fiction style.
A memoir is a story about a specific incident or a part of someone's life, rather than the entire life story. Writing a memoir is more casual and emotional in tone. Therefore, autobiography and memoir can't be the same they have different perspectives.
Autobiography vs. Biography - Examples
Here are examples so that you are clear about both types of stories:
| Autobiography of Malala Yousafzai |
| In I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, Malala Yousafzai shares the story of her extraordinary life. As a child in Pakistan, she became an outspoken advocate for education at a very young age. As a result, at the age of 15, she was shot in the head by members of the Taliban. She recovered, returned to school, and went on to speak about her experiences at the United Nations. In addition to writing her autobiography, she founded the Malala Fund, a nonprofit committed to worldwide access to education for girls, and became the youngest person honored with a Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17. |
| Biography of Steve Jobs |
| Journalist and author Walter Isaacson shares the life story of one of the most influential figures in the technology industry in his biography of Steve Jobs. To tell this story, Isaacson spent more than two years researching Jobs’ life, interviewing well over 100 people who knew him. By piecing together accounts from those who lived, loved, worked with, competed with, and were influenced by Jobs, the author was able to tell the story of this unique individual’s written life in biography form. |
There are two types of biographies: autobiographies and biographies. Autobiographies are stories about someone's own life, while biographies tell the story of someone else's life. Both types of stories can be interesting and important to read, but they offer different perspectives.
We hope this blog will help you choose the right option for you. If you need more help, contact EssayHours.com and we will help you get your work done on time!
