Memoirs, today, constitute a popular genre of autobiographical writing. However, the recent scandal involving author James Frey and his "memoir," “A Million Little Pieces,” has called into question how truthful a work need be to be considered autobiographical.
Furthermore, how can we as readers, tell the difference between an actual memoir (non-fiction) and a novel (historical fiction)? After all, many novels like “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “The Diary of Miss Jane Pitman” carry titles that can be misleading to someone unfamiliar with each story's background and even memoirs carry their share of ambiguity when it comes to the truth.
The English novelist Anthony Powell once said, "Memoirs can never be wholly true, since they cannot include every conceivable circumstance of what happened." In writing an autobiography, for example, a person may try to be objective about an event in their lives, but they will have different thoughts and opinions on it than an outsider would. There is also no way a person can remember every word they said in a conversation they had. What I look for in an autobiographical work of literature is how hard a person strives to keep the truth and integrity of the story they are telling.
By portraying the exaggerated events in his book “A Million Little Pieces” as his own experiences, James Frey put not only his reputation on the line, but Oprah's Book Club's as well. Hopefully, the heat Frey is taking for his poor judgment will encourage other authors to think before attempting the same. That said; I came across a book recently that calls to mind similar questions.
“Marley and Me” is a memoir written about a guy and his dog. Here there is already some ambiguity surrounding how a person can record how a dog was feeling when it tore open a couch cushion or swallowed a gold necklace. However, I believe author John Grogan successfully brings across to readers the deep bond that connects him and Marley by using personal experiences shared by both of them to convey that message. These experiences include the seemingly impossible situations that Marley gets into that can be attested to by many other dog owners.
Reading a book like “Marley and Me,” other questions arise. Such as, what makes something a quality piece of literature? Is it how it is written or what the author is writing about? These were the thoughts that began to flood my brain as I read.
I think both aspects of this question are equally important, but a good writer can make even an obscure topic interesting. I saw it as a good sign that “Marley and Me” spent time on The N.Y. Times’ Bestsellers List, so I took the plunge into what I thought would be an overly cutesy display of man with man's best friend.
As it turned out, “Marley and Me” was as much about the "me" author John Grogan, as it was about "Marley" the 97-lb. yellow labrador. The tagline of this memoir, "life and love with the world's worst dog" gives readers an idea of what to expect from the book.
With the subject of the book, it would take some quality writing to make this reading worth my while. I was happy to learn as I read that the author was a veteran writer and Grogan's book does not merely begin at year 1 of Marley's life and proceed to 13. Marley's tale is intertwined with the most significant episodes of John Grogan's life: the drama, heartbreak and joy of it all.
Many couples try out their parenting skills on pets first and that was the exact logic behind John and Jenny's purchase of a hyper-active, wiggling yellow lab puppy. Little did they know what they were getting themselves into. Thirteen years, three children and several thousand dollars later, that expensive, trouble-making puppy had transformed into beloved member of the family — an attachment comparable to that of any close family member.
Despite the Grogans' unconditional love of Marley, Grogan emphasizes that it was never smooth sailing in their relationship. There is a definite message within the book that everyone should research the animal they want before actually getting it. Since John Grogan neglected to do that before, he proceeds to devote three pages of his memoir to the labrador breed, specifically the American labrador, in case you didn't know there was also an English sub-breed.
It is parts like this that can drag even an accomplished writer's work down. However, the majority of the book reflects the talent of a seasoned journalist. Having worked as a columnist in Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania, Grogan's writing is aesthetically pleasing and the book is well crafted in the portrayal of this one animal's life and how it affected the lives of everyone around him.
For animal lovers, this is a heart-warming testament of a man's unconditional love and loyalty to a dog that showed the same to him throughout his long life. Marley's story, as told by John Grogan, creates a laugh inciting and tear-jerking narrative of man's best friend. Grogan's words will resonate in the hearts of his readers as memories of their own pets replace the memories of Marley in their minds.
Memoirs often touch readers the deepest because they tend to relate emotionally in some way to readers' own lives and experiences. Grogan covers a wide demographic when he writes about his dog and the trials he experiences are shared with people all over. By putting into written word the naughty puppy antics, the erratic and destructive behavior during storms, the swallowing of precious items, and the countless other infractions, Grogan has single-handedly portrayed the sentiments of dog owners all over the country.
Meghan Dunlap is a junior majoring in Spanish and elementary education. If you have a recommendation for a future column or a question for Meghan, e-mail her at [email protected].
