Week 6: Analyzing Memoirs

I can't say that I necessarily see myself in either of these memoirs.  Growing Up in Therapy doesn't relate to me in any way.  I've never really known or have been introduced to people with these kinds of struggles, and fortunately I don't have any of my own.  I honestly had a hard time reading Growing Up in Therapy.  Maybe it's because I'm not familiar with the topic, but it just felt too long, and like some of it wasn't necessary to the story.  She had a lot of different therapists but I feel like she didn't need to add each individual one into the memoir unless she learned something substantial from each.

I think if I could relate to either of them I would relate to Cousins more.  I actually did live with my cousin at one point and she had to leave the apartment before me as well.  However, it was on good terms and we got along really well.  I totally understand that connection with family though.  It doesn't really matter what happens, I know that I will be able to reconnect with them eventually.  A silent agreement is all that you need to know you're straight with each other again.  Cousins was short and to the point.  I got the message of it cleary, even thought the author only shared two separate occasions.

Each memoir shows their story rather than tells.  There are vivid details describing emotion rather than just facts of what happened.  You are given an inside look at what the authors were thinking and feeling about the situations they were in.  As far as truth-telling goes, it's really hard to say for Cousins.  It's such a short amount of information and there isn't even an author given.  It could be completely made up, or the author might be misconstruting things.  They didn't want to tell the readers much about anything, their arguement being one of them.  This arguement was a pivotal moment between them, but we aren't allowed to know what it was?  I think that Growing Up in Therapy is true.  She had a lot of detail to provide about herself and the way she grew up.