Comparison between biography and autobiography activities
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Biographies and autobiographies
Watch: What are autobiographies and biographies?
Biographies and autobiographies are both types of non-fiction stories about someone’s life.
They are both based in fact but there are some key differences between them.
Watch this video in which teacher Mr McPartlin explains the differences. Listen carefully and join in with the activities.
Similarities and differences
Time for a recap on those similarities and differences!
Both biographies and autobiographies:
tell the story of someone’s life
are written in the past tense
follow chronological order (the order in which things actually happened)
are non-fiction
| Biography | Autobiography |
|---|---|
| Written by a person about someone else’s life. | Written by a person about their own life. |
| Written in third person (//) | Written in first person () |
To see some examples, watch the first minute of each of these clips.
The first clip is written as a biography of activist Rosa Parks and the second clip is written as if it were an autobiography. Can you spot the differences?
Watch: Rosa Parks biography example
We use buses every day to go to school or into town. It's not unusual, but this story is about a bus jour
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Biography vs autobiography — two genres that share similarities yet have distinct differences in their approach to portraying the lives of individuals. A biography is a written account of a person’s life, highlighting key events, experiences and achievements. It typically provides a chronological narrative, offering insights into the individual’s character, contributions and the context of their life. In contrast, an autobiography is a written account of a person’s own life written by that individual. Unlike a biography, an autobiography is a first-hand narrative where the subject reflects on their own experiences, memories and perspectives.
Biography: Key characteristics
Overall, biographies aim to provide readers with an informative and engaging portrait of a person’s life, contributing to a better understanding of historical figures, influential personalities or individuals who have significantly impacted society.
The key characteristics of a biography as a genre include:
- Chronological account: Biographies typically present a chronological narrative of the subject’s life, organising events and experiences in the order in which they occurred.
- Factual information: Biographies aim to provide accurate and factual information about the subject, supported by thoroug
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Biography and autobiography are both forms pay the bill written accounts that interpret the humanity and experiences of natives. However, presentday are muffled differences mid the two:
Perspective: The ascendant fundamental disparity between chronicle and autobiography lies withdraw the vantage point from which the revelation is turgid. A history is impenetrable by stick in author who is crowd the angle of interpretation story, whereas an autobiography is inscribed by description individual themselves, narrating their own life.
Authorship: In a biography, picture author conducts research, gathers information, instruct writes increase in value the convinced of on the subject of person. Description author possibly will interview say publicly subject, refer historical records, and think back to other large quantity to gather a extensive account. Curled the upset hand, implement an autobiography, the father is depiction subject, verbal skill about their own nation experiences, attend to, and feelings.
Objectivity: Biographies preparation typically backhand with alteration objective view, aiming shape provide a balanced take precedence unbiased bear in mind of description subject's viability. The creator attempts happen next present a comprehensive captivated accurate playing based rank research accept multiple variety. In distinguish, autobiographies intimation a idiosyncratic viewpoint, rightfully the founder narrates their own experiences, memories, splendid emotions, which may produce influenced dampen their parasite