CENTRO DE LETRAS E CINCIAS HUMANAS / DEPARTAMENTO DE LETRAS ESTRANGEIRAS MODERNAS

COMPREENSO E PRODUO ESCRITA EM LNGUA INGLESA I

Objective: to read analyse autobiographical texts in terms of context, text organization and
language resources
EVALUATING ONES AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Read the autobiographical texts attached (A Mc Memoir With Fries/Growing Up/Two Fingers) and
analyse them based on the criteria that follows:
CHART 1: AUTOBIOGRAPHY CHECKLIST EVALUATION CHART
CHARACTERISTICS
REGARDING
CONTEXT

Are there relations among the facts being narrated, the author, the
historical moment s/he is from and the context?
Has the writer selected relevant facts of his/her life?
Does the writer address an specific social/political issue in her/his
narrative? How dis it affect her/his life?
Is the text aimed at publicizing ones main life events or sharing specific
experiences?

REGARDING
TEXT
ORGANIZATION

Does the writer make use of characters? How are they described?
How does the writer describe her/his personal experiences?
Are the facts chronologically organized?
Are there important facts regarding different stages of ones life?
(childhood, school, teens, family, friends, important relationships,
important achievements, college, etc.)

REGARDING
LANGUAGE
RESOURCES

Is the text written in first-person singular? 3rd Person?

Are the actions represented in the text in the past simple (for finished
events); present (for generic facts and/or daily routines)?
Does the author make use of emotional vocabulary to call the readers
attention?
Does the writer use any literary device? If so, which ones could you
identify?

Writing Assignment
Now, in groups of 4, you will analyse one extract of an autobiography/memoir of your choice
based upon the same criteria. Your analysis must be at least 1 page long (2100 characters) and
ought to submitted online at our Edmodo page until June the 17th.

CENTRO DE LETRAS E CINCIAS HUMANAS / DEPARTAMENTO DE LETRAS ESTRANGEIRAS MODERNAS

COMPREENSO E PRODUO ESCRITA EM LNGUA INGLESA I

Vocabulary Enrichment
Reread the autobiographies, and complete the charts with relevant lexical items according to
the topics developed.

Vocabulary (nouns)
WORD

MEANING

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

MEANING

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

MEANING

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

Vocabulary (verbs)
WORD

Vocabulary (adjectives)
WORD

CENTRO DE LETRAS E CINCIAS HUMANAS / DEPARTAMENTO DE LETRAS ESTRANGEIRAS MODERNAS

COMPREENSO E PRODUO ESCRITA EM LNGUA INGLESA I

GROWING UP
Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen
Fifth grade was a big year for me
I noticed girls who noticed me
Mom was den chief, Dad played taxi singing "Leader of the Band."
Then Dad fucked this girl religiously,
Handpicked from the handbell society.
Mom left pissed off, I dyed my hair green, and auditioned for a show.
I was growing up
Learning how to swear in Jesus' name.
Growing up.
Forced to understand what I can't,
And still the last one picked in every kickball game.
First came a role in Hello Dolly.
What next? Homosexuality?
Mom brought flowers, Dad was busy though he lived a mile away.
The rest of high school's a blur to me.
I noticed girls didn't notice me.
Mom had self-help, Dad should get some,
And I needed to get laid.
I was growing up.
Learning that "I love you" doesn't mean shit.
Growing up.
Forced to pretend I'm alright,
And acting like my father,
And hating myself for it.
Next came a B.F.A. degree.
I found drinking. No. Drinking found me.
Painful dating, and graduating,
In debt, and unemployed.
Then Dad called unexpectedly
With excuses to recite to me.
Blame his father, blamed his childhood,
And I laughed.
And I hung up the phone.
And I refused to cry.
And I let it go.
Swinging from my family tree,
I climb and find myself part of a brilliant legacy
Of men who never forgave, men who won't forget,
And never measure up.
With all that's come before,
And all that's left to sing,
My dad is still my dad,
And I wouldn't change a thing
Growing up.

CENTRO DE LETRAS E CINCIAS HUMANAS / DEPARTAMENTO DE LETRAS ESTRANGEIRAS MODERNAS

COMPREENSO E PRODUO ESCRITA EM LNGUA INGLESA I

Two Fingers
by Jake Bugg
I drink to remember, I smoke to forget
Some things to be proud of
Some stuff to regret
Run down some dark alleys in my own head
Something is changing, changing, changing
I go back to Clifton to see my old friends
The best people I could ever have met
Skin up a fat one, hide from the Feds
Something is changing, changing, changing
So I kiss goodbye to every little ounce of pain
Light a cigarette and wish the world away
I got out, I got out, I'm alive but I'm here to stay
So I hold two fingers up to yesterday
Light a cigarette and smoke it all away
I got out, I got out, I'm alive but I'm here to stay
He's down in the kitchen drinking White Lightning
He's with my momma, they're yelling and fighting
It's not the first time praying for silence
Something is changing, changing, changing
So I kiss goodbye to every little ounce of pain
Light a cigarette and wish the world away
I got out, I got out, I'm alive but I'm here to stay
So I hold two fingers up to yesterday
Light a cigarette and smoke it all away
I got out, I got out, I'm alive but I'm here to stay
There's a story for every corner of this place
Running so hard you got out but your knees got grazed
I'm an old dog but I learned some new tricks yeah
So I kiss goodbye to every little ounce of pain
Light a cigarette and wish the world away
I got out I got out I'm alive but I'm here to stay
So I hold two fingers up to yesterday
Light a cigarette and smoke it all away
I got out I got out I'm alive but I'm here to stay
Hey, hey it's fine
Hey, hey it's fine
Hey, hey it's fine
I left it behind