Language and Literature 111                      Mrs. Koplik

Biography/ Autobiography Book Report
    
Select  A or B  for your book report.  Focus on the following areas, exploring them in detail,
regardless of your selection:
        
	The subject's personal strengths and weaknesses, and the effect(s) they have had on the 
	subject's life   
    	Major obstacles, failures and triumphs in the subject's life

    	How the historical events of the period in which the subject live(s/d) influenced him or 
    	her  either positively or negatively (ex.: war, oppression, economic hardship, societal 
    	views and values (like gender or racial bias))

    	Specific people who were central in the subject's life

    	Development of career or interests,  (in some cases, this may have been the central 
	focus of the book)

    	The writer's style, and his/her views and tone toward the subject (even if it is himself)
	-- is the tone respectful, affectionate,  nostalgic,humorous, somber, distant, 
	informative?
    ___________________________________________________________
    
    Choose A or B:

    A.  Pretend that you are a psychologist, and that the subject of your book is your patient.
He or she has come to you for help during a trying period or a crisis in his/ her life.   
Create a file of tests and patient responses, which include information about the areas of 
focus above.  After each test (do 3 or 4) record your observations and/or diagnoses  Some 
methods you might want to try: 
         hypnosis, word association (I say "Cat" -- What word does that bring to mind?....), 
Rorschach Test (patient looks at inkblot and describes what he sees),  Drawing therapy (patient
draws family for example and explains why he sees it that way), sleep monitoring, dream 
interpretation....

    B.  Create a scrapbook of poems, songs and artwork (originals and others) which somehow 
capture the life, times and nature of your subject.  Make choices  based on both literal 
and figurative connections; in other words, some entries may relate directly to the 
subject's interests or actions, while others may describe the subject through metaphor, 
images or other literary devices.  Each feature should include a brief explanation which 
clarifies its connection to the subject.