Solved Exercise for Precis writing with Title “The Motives for Writing Autobiographies” Precis for Class 9, 10, 11, 12 and Higher classes.

Passages with Solved Precis

The motives for writing autobiographies sometimes. as we have seen, the writer is tempted by a big cheque. In other cases he or she is conscious of having had an interesting life and wishes the public to share the interest. Some men especially Deans, I regret to sayare raconteurs and so fond of their own stories that they do not like to think that they may perish with them. The relief of the raconteur’s family when the fifty times told tale is at last fixed in black and white, and presumably done with, must be immense.

Others have a grievance, and wish posterity to know why they were elbowed out of office; who was really responsible for the miscarriage of a military expedition; who was the real author of a literary or scientific discovery-and so on. Classical scholars have admired the dignity of Thucydides is not giving his own story of the reverse at Amphipolis where he was commander.

Others again have left memoirs, which they intended or hoped would be published after their deaths, and in which they inserted as much venom as they knew, conscious that they themselves would not be called to account nor perhaps their victims to vindicate their reputation. I have no doubt that Greenery was one of these malicious diarists; there is evidence that he thought his papers would be of great value hereafter. Some of the worst parts of his journal have not been printed and perhaps will never be. Mark Pattison’s memories were clearly intended to take a posthumous revenge upon the college which had passed him over-very improperly it must be paid —for the headship, and on certain people in the University or Oxford whom he disliked.

Sometimes, the autobiography seems to be prompted by sheer vanity. Vanity unlike pride, is a rather amiable foible. A vain man is seldom unpopular, partly because he shows that he cares for the good opinion of others. But the vain man is essentially an actor. If he is not posing for others, he struts and smirks to gratify himself. As an auto biographer he partially fails by telling too many lies.

Precis

The Motives for Writing Autobiographies

People have different motives for writing autobiographies. Some write autobiographies for money while others are actuated to do so by desire to communicate their interesting experiences to the public. Some write their memories to satisfy their love of story-telling. Others employ the medium of autobiography to ventilate their grievances and to justify their conduct to posterity. Still others have written autobiographies which they wanted to be published after their death and in which they have condemned various persons and institutions against whom they entertained a grudge. To this category belong Greevery and Mark Pattison. In several cases, an autobiography is written to gratify vanity. Such autobiographies contain many lies because their authors wish to paint a glorious picture of themselves.