Autobiographies

Historical Autobiography

The most common early American autobiographical forms included narratives of spiritual conversion, Indian captivity, slavery, Civil War experiences, [Page 96]pioneer experiences, and the journey of the self-made man. Men wrote most early American autobiographies, although there are some notable exceptions. Literary scholars have noted that these early works largely reflected the American individual's self-identification through his or her relation to external circumstances as a result of the larger cultural movement to form a new life and a distinct national identity from the American wilderness. Autobiographies in the vein of Benjamin Franklin's classic also provided instruction for others wishing to improve their moral character and social conditions. Other common themes included the spiritual autobiography and conversion narrative detailing an individual's religious development, often ending with a spiritually transforming experience. These autobiographies were especially prevalent among the New England Puritans.

Autobiographies detailing pioneer life and its dangers offered more possibilities for the female author. Mothers authored several best-selling Indian captivity narratives of the 17th century, including Mary Rowlandson's Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682) and New England Puritan minister Cotton Mather's account of Hannah Duston's 1697 capture and escape. Duston watched her infant's murder as her group of captives marched through the forest, and she later received praise for her subsequent participation in the killing and scalping of 10 of her captors. Native Americans often took women and older children captive rather than killing them, and many children left accounts of the growing bond between them and their new Native American families. The Indian captivity narrative remained a popular format throughout the 19th century as westward expansion continued. Well-known autobiographical accounts of pioneer life include the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, which is based on her life and is historically accurate, even though its character simplification often leads to its classification as historical fiction.

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