Chapter III Group-1 - An Assignment PDF

Preview

Summary

An Assignment...

Description

CHAPTER III DISCUSSION A. Definition Biography deals with the life of an actual with the life of an actual person of the actual person of the past or present with the intent of commemorating the subject and inspiring the reader by example (Brown, 1999 : 167). He also stated that the biographers report the experiences, influences, accomplishments and legacies of the subject. Biography is the history of the life of an individual (Lukens, 2003 : 261). It covers of facts, a concept that relate to, and attitude toward the subject and the reader. The fact is a must to be accurate, up to date and authentic as they depict the subject and the period in which the subject lived. In the other side, we also know the term of autobiography. Brown stated that, an autobiography is about the author’s own life. The example of an autobiography is Bill Peet ; An autobiography. While, Lukens said that autobiography, written by its subject and cannot totally objective because the narrated events are filtered through the writers own consciousness. In relating to the Children Literarture, biography is tells a story to the children about a particular person’s life. Common biography that children enjoy reading is famous people from long ago, Such as Neil Armstrong. Children enjoy reading about people’s lives and learn life lessons by reading biography.

B. Types of Biography Biographies classified by degree of documentation as follows: 1. Authentic Biography Authentic biography is based on documented words, speech, and writing of the subject (Stoodt, 1995 : 459). While, Brown (1999 : 172) defined that in this type of biography all factual information is documented through eyewitness account, written documents, letters, diaries, and more recently audio and videotape recordings. The example of authentic biography are The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz and Lincoln : A Photobiography by Russel Freedman. The Great Little Madison is a story of the life of a man who devoted himself to the public welfare and who livedthe ideals he preached. When he was slandered in the press or by political opponents, he refused to use his powers as prsident to suppress his enemies; when called upon the declare a national day of prayer, he wrote his proclamation so that all faiths were included. This biography is about how Madison helped to shape the United States with hard work. The biography of Abraham Lincoln which illustrated the photobiography covers Lincoln’s entire life his childhood, his stint as a lawyer, his courtship and marriage to Mary Todd Lincoln, as well as his ascent from Congressman to President. The final chapter is an account of Lincoln’s assassination and death.

Both of the prominent figures above were great subjects in biography. They were supposed to be good model for children by learning biography. The great figures are considered have documented words, speech or writing that used by biographers to write the biography. 2. Fictionalized Biography Stoodt (1996 : 459) explained when writing fictionalized biography, the author takes greater latitude in creating a story around the actual life of a subject. This type of biography commonly dramatized or invented an episode from known facts by the writer. A part that perhaps cannot be verified, but the writers try to create a fact that show how the subject behavared. The example is Carry On, Mr. Bowditch is a fictionalized biography of a great American navigator and asrtonomer authentically portrays the life of a unique individual. Latham describes Nathaniel Bowditch, the boyhood and young adult life who lived from 1773-1838. The account ends with his fifth voyage, which takes place when nat is in his early thirties. Brilliant in mathematics, Bowditch has a planning to study at Harvard, but his family could not afford the cost. At the age of twelve, he was indentured for nine years to a firm of ship chandlers in Salem, Massachusetts, so that he studied diligently on his own, pursuing astronomy, mathematics, algebra, navigation, Latin, French, and Spanish. Men of the town encouraged him and gave him privileges in private libraries. When his indenture is complete, he gets the chance to go to the

sea. There, he discovers that many of the navigational sources used at the time contain extensive and dangerous errors. He is prompted to compile a new book of navigational information. This book, The American Practical Navigator, is still in use today. In the book, Nat receives a Master ofArts degree from the school he always wanted to attend, Harvard. This particular children’s book is about a little known figure in America navigation, and much of the content is accurate and true. At the same time, there’s lot of parts that dramatized and suspense in the story as we learn fictionalized biography, because life on the seas at the time, 1700s was extremely dangerous and unpredictable. Latham’s book encourage excellent character qualities in young people and it is also an inspiring introduction to one of America’s greates mathematicisians. Besides that by learning this book, the children will have a clearer understanding of life in early colonial America. Many biographers think that biography that written for children should be educational. Therefore, the biographers only focus on the good aspect of the subject and ignore the negative characteristics. The biographers sometimes make the events in the story to be more dramatic. That’s what we call fictionalized the biography. As the impact, many biographers more closely resembled noves than works of biography. 3. Biographical Fiction This type of biography allows the secondary characters, including invented dialog, but the aim of the biographical subjects are reported

accurately. Stoodt (1996 : 459) explained the biographical fiction style of biography permits the author to create conversation and portrays the everyday life of a subject, but these details are based on through historical research into the subject’s character and life as well as the time in which the person lived. An example is Anthony Burns : the Defeat and Triumph of a Fuginitive slave by Virginia Hamilton. This biography is a story about the life of Anthony Burns, an escaped slave who flees to Boston in 1854, Virginia Hamilton as the author describes a stunning portrayal of a human hope and compassion. At the age twenty, Anthony Burns is an escaped slave, a new story struggle is just beginning. Arrested at the insistence of his owner, Anthony is put on trial under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Readers sail back through time and are introduced to the sequel of events that divided the city, and caused lawyers, ministers, and “ordinary people” to stand up and speak out in order to prevent Burns for being returned to his owner. Hamilton focuses on how Burns remains a man of integrity and strength in the face of frequent mistreatment, gives readers the pure essence of his character providing a more personal and intimate look at a man who made a naration pause and consider its own political agenda. A truly historical novel that brings the issues of race and prejudice to the surface. Slavery is a painful and frightening part of the history in the world. A part of the history that maybe we would rather not to discuss about it. But our silences about slavery could be more damaging than the children know

and get explanation of it. By reading Anthony Burns; the Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive slave, the children will learn the reality of slavery. A story about resistance of slavery and hope of freedom are true learning of how to struggle in a life because children indirectly learn the pain of slavery. In evaluating the following types of biohraphies, Browns wants to look for a balance between the need for edequate coverage and the tolerance that the target childd audience has for detail. a. The complete biography, covers the entire life of the subject from birth to death. For example is Colombus and world around Him by Milton Meltzer. b. The partial biography, covers only parts of the life of the subject. Biographies for very young children will often be this of this type, the biographies of living persons. For example is Teammates by Peter Golenbock, illustrated by Paul Bacon. c. The collected biography includes the life stories of several people in one book, organized into chapters. For example is Indian Chiefs by Russell Freedman. d. The biography series is a multivolume set of books with each book containing one separate biography. Most series of this type feature subjects with some common artribute, accomplishment, or skill such as leadership or legendary sports ability. For example, A Woman of Our Time Series published by Viking.

In the other side, While Kiefer, Hepler and Hickman (20017) classified the types of biography as follows: a. Picture Book Biography Attributes :  Picture may carry a substantial part of the story.  May be authentic or fictionalized.  Maybe complete or partial. Example:  Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport.  A Picture Book by John Hancock.  Michelangelo by Diane Stanley b. Simplified Biography Attributes :  Written in simple language.  Usually short.  Has many illustrations.  Maybe written in brief chapters. Example :  Jessie Owens by Carole Boston Weatherford.  The Secret World of Hildegard by Jonah Winter.  The Boy of Fairfield Street.

c. Partial Biography

Attributes :  Only part of the subject’s life.  Maybe only an episode or a day of selected events from the whole life. Example :  Phili’s Big Test by Catherine Clinton.  Rosa by Nikki Giovanni.  The Snow Baby by Katherine Kirkpatrick. d. Complete Biography Attributes :  Spans lifetime.  Most common type of biography. Example :  Up Close : Johnny Cash by Anne E. Neimark.  MLK : Journey of a King by Tonya Bolden.  Something Out of Nothing by Marie Curie and Radium by Carla Killough McClafferty. e. Collective Biography Attributes :  Contains brief selections about several subjects.  May range of one paragraph sketches to long essays.  Often selected by theme. Example :

 Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti.  Wildly Romantic by Catherine M. Andronik.  On My Block : Stories and Paintings by 15 Artists by Dana Goldberg. f. Autobiography and Memoir Attributes :  Written by subjects themselves.  Subjective.  May also fit into other categories. Example :  Before It Wriggles Away by Janet Wong.  Miss American Pie By Margaret Startor.  Tasting the Sky by Ibtisam Barakat. C. The Writer’s Obligation History and Individual are two terms that cannot be separated from biography. This is based on the biography definition is the history of the life of an individual. Both this term present the obligation for the writer. The term history, according toLukens implies the facts and aoutobiography, like all nonfiction, should be factuall yaccurate. When the writer reported history, it should be objectively. For example is The Double Life of Pocahontas by Jean Fritz. The term individual is the second responsibility of the writer. Biography is about individual. The biographer wishes to show the individual

as a beliavable human being complete with any weakness as occasional self interest, irritability, or faulty judgement. For example, children who interested in lives of a president sometimes get difficulties to find the life of one president from the life of another. Presidents in children’s biographies may become stereotypes of all that is good. A poor biography is the biographies which only present the good thing and ignore the negative qualities. Characteristic of Good Biography: Rollyson (2006 : 09) states that one of the most important attributes to biohraphy is its presentation of life as it unfolds chronologically. The good biography should be :  Authentic and honest.  In a good biography the individual’s character is revelaed to the reader through the details and events of his or her life and as a complex individual with his or her own share of human strengths as well as weakness. So the children can understand that sometimes the subject get feeling frustation and happiness.  The good biography shpuld depict the life on individual that can appear the curiosity of the reader, in this case the children, so that they question and evaluable to identity the meaning of a person’s life.

Reasons to Read More Biographies  They provide the most valuable lessons of life. Reading biography children not only know about famous people, but also children can learn

how true life is. For example, in ‘Anthony Burns : the Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive slave’ by Virginia Hamilton, children are introduced to slavery and how the slavery struggle to their freedom. Biography can stimulate the children to think more realistic and take the lesson of person’s life.  They inspire children to think what they want to be. For example, a child has read the biography of the Neil Amstrong, he probably wants to be like Neil Amstrong.  They introduce history to the children. For example, James Medison will be depicated in hisera when he became a President.  They give children mentors at a distance. Readbthe biography of Abraham as example, can give an impact to children a model of President. D. Conclution Biography is a text that contains the experience or life history of a person from birth to death and written by other people. The writing that is written in a biography aims to explain the facts of a person's life in a short, clear, language style that is attractive and easily understood by the reader. And when it comes to the children's literature, authors are generally allowed more freedom when it comes to "fictional" elements in the biographies they write. One thing that a reader of biography should be aware of is the difference between authentic biography and fictionalized biography....