Category: Myths
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More Fantasy Techniques To Help Your Memoir
Each James Bond adventure begins with a visit to Q, who provides special purpose tools of war, communication, and deception. This mythical role of the weapons master turns up in a variety of stories. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was loaded with experts in the intricate arts of swords, axes, and arrows. And the…
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Cast of Characters in His Chosen Clan
I used to think that heroes tended to be lonely but after I read Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” I realized they are not so lonely after all. It’s true they must leave home to go off to their adventures, which at first makes them seem isolated. But they soon collect allies.…
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Modern Magical Objects in Memoirs
The great tennis player Andre Agassi in his memoir “Open,” shares a unique perspective on the power of these corporate talismans. Like a modern day magician, he was often paid to infuse some of his power into a brand. One time Agassi’s nerves were shot, so to protect his eyes he wore sunglasses during a…
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Shapeshifting, Costumes, and Imposters in Memoirs
In myths, characters can sometimes change shape, for example transforming from man to wolf. Cinderella’s fabulous night out transformed her from a maid to a princess. The notion of moving from one role to another is not limited to fairy tales. Through costumes, cosmetics, hair style, and role-playing, we often alter the way we present…
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Riddle of the Sphinx – Stand Straight for Dignity
Throughout the memoir “Off Kilter,” Linda Wisniewski does press forward to find her dignity in the midst of the many social and psychological issues facing women in the twentieth century. And so, while she does not quote Martin Luther King or Sophocles, her tale is definitely about dignity, providing personal echoes of these fundamental principles.
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Lessons memoir writers can learn from Zombies
My goal is remarkably similar to Jonathan Maberry’s. We both want to tell a good story. So I keep listening to this thriller writer and keep learning lessons about the relationship between life and story. For example, in a previous discussion he told me that flaws in real people prepare him to write deeper characterization…
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Storytellers shed light on the horrors of war
In my journey to understand as much as possible about life writing, I consider the question many aspiring life writers raise. “Should I approach painful memories, and if so should the memories become part of my story?” Of course there is no one right answer, so to try to understand it more, I consider the…
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Myths and Memoirs – am I a victim?
Many people who have been elevated throughout history from victim to hero were used in this symbolic way to represent their group. The murderers hated the group and used the victim as a symbol, and the admirers showed love for this victim, and rallied around in order to strengthen their identity and defy the murderers.
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