A biographical essay describes the life of a person and can be either scholarly or personal. Both types have a singular point and focus on a specific person. The essay should include context and a central thesis or theme. Personal essays should include key historical events or relationships. The goal of an autobiographical essay is to secure admission to college or obtain a scholarship. It should still contain a central thesis or theme and be relevant to the specific position or post.
A biographical essay is a written composition describing the life and times of a particular individual. In general there are two main types. The former is a scholarly report or essay used to paint a picture of a historical figure or person of some importance to the writer. This type of document is usually rather rigidly structured, often with fixed introductory, body and conclusion paragraphs. Colleges, universities, and some fellowships associated with higher education also sometimes require biographical essays as part of their application materials, and these types of essays are usually very different as schools usually ask applicants to write on themselves. Furthermore, rather than trying to present a complete composite of their lives to date, most writers in these contexts focus on certain defining moments and experiences. The structure is often more flexible and less academic.
Main components
Both essay types have a few things in common. They are both focused on a specific person, for example, and can and often weave in details that define that person’s context. This can include things like family relationships and geographic settings. Also, they both usually have a singular point that they’re trying to make. While the structure varies, organization is important. In academic papers, the writer’s main point is usually captured in what is known as a “thesis statement.” This statement makes a specific claim that the rest of the document will be used to support. Self-portraits and personal statements don’t necessarily need a definite thesis statement, but writers who organize their thoughts around a central topic usually find their compositions to be more coherent and successful as a result.
Analyze past data
In an academic essay, the thesis might link some key events in a subject’s life to his subsequent actions, and in so doing offer an explanation of his motivations. It could also simply describe how the subject has lived his life and the effects he has had on the world. In general, the thesis of this type of essay ties the various stories and facts together and places them in a single meaningful context.
This type of essay is generally no more than a few pages long and cannot, therefore, adequately cover all events in a person’s life. In selecting events to include in an essay, writers usually emphasize some aspect of the subject’s life.
The importance of context
In almost all cases, biographical-style essays in academic contexts can be viewed as written histories of the times in which the subject lived, and this history should provide context for the essay. An essay on the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt that failed to discuss at least briefly the history of the Depression, for example, would be difficult to understand. Similarly, a personal essay should include key historical events or relationships that have been important in the author’s life, but this should be done in an objective and balanced manner.
Accuracy can be affected by words as much as by implications. For example, a biographical essay on Lenin that focuses on the government’s execution of his brother might read like a story of revenge, while an essay on the life of Winston Churchill that ends before he was replaced as prime minister will read very different from one that spans his entire life and career.
Goals of a self-portrait
One of the most common goals of an autobiographical essay is to secure admission to college or obtain a scholarship. The essay should include elements that speak to a candidate’s character and personality. Personal hardships that have been overcome, admirable life goals, or a discussion of the role played by an inspiring mentor are common topics for this type of writing. Interests and academics will generally be covered elsewhere in the application and as such will usually not be the focus of this type of biographical essay, although this varies from place to place. It is important for writers to pay close attention to the instructions given to pitch a successful piece.
An autobiographical essay follows many of the same rules as an essay written about another person’s life. This type of essay should still contain a central thesis or theme, an appropriate level of personal detail, and a discussion of any other topics relevant to the specific position or post. Writers should also be careful to stay on topic. An essay seeking admission to a religious institution, for example, would probably have to address issues of faith, but one included in an application for a physics fellowship probably shouldn’t.
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