A memoir is a type of history and thinking from this standpoint we can see how specific dates might be important. The reader doesn't always have to know exactly when events mentioned in a memoir happened, but it's almost always relevant for the writer to provide a general setting in time for the story.
Some memoirs might deal with specific dates however. A milestone event in the author's life should in most cases have a date attached to it. Dating the event gives it greater context in the history of all things as well as a relatable point in time for the readers of the memoir.
There are certain dates of historical significance to which a memoirist might attach personal meaning. The day President Kennedy was assassinated, the attack of 9/11, or when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans are examples of dates when many shared an experience and have personal stories to tell related to the event. Others might have stories to tell about historic events such as a presidential inauguration or a major sporting event.
The dated stories don't have to be necessarily big in scope either. A story might be about what you and your family or friends did on a particular holiday in a specific year. It could be a story about a wedding day or a funeral, either which would have a significant date attached to it.
Think about dates in your life that stand out. There is the story of the day itself as well as the days that led up to that day and the effect in the days after the event. Dates are just as important to the story as they are to the person relating the story.
Do you typically wonder when something happened in a story you are reading? When you are telling someone else about something that happened do you include when it happened? What are some important historical dates that impacted you personally?
This is so useful, I'm glad I found your blog. All thanks to the A-Z writing challenge.
ReplyDeleteYou know what book surprised me, date wise, was Catcher in the Rye. It was not clear, from the beginning of the book, that it took place in the 1940s. I assumed it was the 60s. I don't recall there being a clear statement of when it was taking place. I think when I got to the part where he was going to see the Lunts on Broadway that I asked my parents who they were and was told a famous actor couple from the 40s.
ReplyDeleteI remember so many events from my youth, but dates I confuse.
ReplyDeleteYou can look up dates, but ofttimes what you find there bears a striking difference from your memory. Theres a certain Yankees-Tigers game from 1977 that really pisses me off that way.
ReplyDeleteI've a very "chronological" memory, so dates are very important to me. I've difficulties following a story when I can't put it in a timeframe.
ReplyDeleteTo have a date, or at least a reference to a certain period in the past, is necessary to give context to the story. For instance, a family event where an accident may have occurred, would have very different results in the 1940s or 50s when telephones weren't available to many than it would in the 1980s when just about everyone had a phone. And from the 1980s to now, when everyone has a mobile (cell) phone.
ReplyDeleteI can remember many events from my past and approximate timeframes, but exact dates just escape me.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of holidays at the date keeper - that way the reader almost instantly has a connection.
ReplyDeleteI have many dates etched in my memory, but I am too young to remember 9/11. I was born in 1996, so I was only 5 when 9/11 happened. Love your theme!
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I often do not remember exact dates, but have a general sense of when a memory occurred. I was too young to remember JFK's assassination. I barely remember Neal Armstrong's moon walk. I recall the space craft's re-entry more than the landing. I find when someone else tells a story that I know about I often correct dates, if I feel its wrong. So, I guess I find it necessary to tell others when something happened and I like knowing this info from other story tellers. I remember when these famous people died: Elvis Presley (summer of 1977), John Wayne (on our honeymoon in June 1979), and President Reagan (our 25th anniversary June 2004 while vacationing in Maine). Of course, everyone of us. some more than others, were touched by the terrorist acts of 9/11. I wish I had kept a diary over the years and now I don't know if there's any point to start one. Dates are important. Good point, Lee. Thanks for sharing!
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