Transcription
A biography is a narrative that tells the life of a person, usually famous or historically important. It consists of recounting the life of a particular person from the moment of his birth to the end of his days. In this type of story, the childhood, youth, loves, works, difficulties, achievements, and anecdotes of the person being talked about are briefly described.
In this video, we will explain the characteristics, parts, and types of biographies. Biographies are usually stories written in the third person by a narrator who previously dedicated himself to research. Examples of recent biographies that can be purchased in physical or ebook format are those of Steve Jobs, Winston Churchill, Frida Kahlo, Leonardo da Vinci, David Bowie, Albert Einstein, or Federico García Lorca.
A biography has the purpose of exposing the most outstanding data of a person's life through reliable and precise information, which can be given by the closest environment. The biographies may or may not have the authorization of the main character.
Now let's see the characteristics of the biographies.
Characteristics of the biographies:
Focused on a person: The biography is a narrative about the life of a person. There is a great variety of subjects on which a biographical text can be written, from world-renowned figures, such as Elon Musk or Marie Curie, to ourselves, which would be an autobiography.
Description of the character: In a biography, it is necessary to expose the physical, psychological, and moral characteristics of the character to make it more widely known. The importance of describing the aforementioned traits lies in exploring the causes that led the person to perform certain actions. The description of the main traits that define the subject's personality is important, since it will allow the reader to understand the decisions he made or the achievements he achieved. For example, if a biography of George Washington is made, it could be mentioned that from a young age he was very mature and had a great sense of responsibility, elements that made him an exceptional military leader and a hero for the United States.
Historical context: A biography is mainly characterized by narrating true events within a real historical framework. The director of the biography must tell the life of the character within a chronological time.
Narration of important facts: In a biography, the most representative events of the life of the main character are recounted or recounted. This type of narration does not focus on the day-to-day or on all the moments of the person, but rather the most important facts are taken. If a biography is made about Antoine Lavoisier, it should be about his discovery, the law of conservation of mass; if this is a biography about the scientist John Dalton, it would be appropriate to talk about his atomic theory and how it was influenced by the discoveries of other scientists of the time.
Chronology: The biography is usually structured in chronological order or according to how the events in the life of the character happened, in order for the narrative to have coherence and logical sense. The events can be accompanied by photographs of the protagonist of the story.
Narrator: A biography is written by a third-person narrator, that is, one who knows all the details of the character's life. Usually, the narrator does a lot of research and consults reliable sources.
Historical facts and places: In a biography, the different important trips that the character made are narrated, in addition, the historical facts that happened while he lived are incorporated. This allows the reader to be contextualized both in space and in the life of the person.
Now we are going to explain the parts, that is, the structure of the biography:
Dedications: Dedications consist of one or two short sentences in which the author wants to show signs of affection to loved ones.
Preface: In the preface, the author of the biography usually recounts personal experiences prior to the completion of the biography. They are usually related anecdotes or that explain why it was decided to investigate the protagonist.
Introduction: The beginning of a biography often begins by explaining who the protagonist's parents and grandparents were, what they did for a living, how they met, and what their initial relationship with the protagonist was. Attention is paid to the most important events of the protagonist's initial phase; how he was as a child, where he studied, if he had relationships, his interests, etc. On the other hand, the author of the biography can explain how the research process was carried out. In this section, the writer lets you know who his main collaborators were and can make some thanks.
Development: Once the explanation of the childhood and early youth of the protagonist is finished, early adulthood is entered, which is where the achievements that the person achieved in his life usually occur. The most important personal and professional events continue to be explained, while certain concepts are explained to understand the protagonist and what his achievements consisted of. For example, if it is the biography of Albert Einstein, the author could try to explain the key concepts of the special and general theory of relativity. The writer can add photographs and images to the investigation so that the reader knows better the experiences that the character went through. In addition, quotes and outstanding phrases of the protagonist of the story can be added, which can clarify their way of thinking and acting.
Conclusion or reflection: The conclusion is the last part of the biography; it exposes the legacy left by the character and the influence he could have had. In case the protagonist is still alive, his future plans are described, his appreciation of life, and what he has not yet been able to do.
Acknowledgments: In the acknowledgments, the author of the biography thanks the people who helped him find information and perform other tasks necessary to complete the book.
Photos and annexes: This section usually includes photographs and documents that are discussed in certain parts of the biography.
Let us now explain what types of biography exist:
Authorized: This type of biography is the one that has the approval of the character or a close relative in the event that the person has died. An authorized biography is legal; this means that the author has fulfilled the necessary steps for its realization. In many cases, the character in question supervises what the writer develops.
Unauthorized: An unauthorized biography is one that is made without the permission or consent of the main character. Although his life is interesting, the person does not want it to come to light in an official way. There are cases in which this type of narration produces legal claims against the author.
Autobiography: An autobiography is one that the character himself writes about himself and narrates in the first person. The protagonist tells all the important aspects of his life from his point of view; it does not allow the opinion of third parties. Autobiographies present some variables. The most common are private diaries and memoirs. The diaries are based on the expression of feelings and emotions by the character; they do not necessarily follow a chronological order. While memories refer to events at a given time.