What Matters.

The first passage of the Afterward particularly caught my attention, because Lauren is defining what is important and what really isn't. She bluntly points out that the facts are not needed in some parts of the book, and that they cannot be in some. I felt this portrays the memoir perfectly, since she speaks of historical truth being foolhardy and coy when explaining one's own person. Throughout the book she stretches the truth, she admits lying, and she conveys herself to the reader in an empathic manner. As the reader you begin to understand Lauren on a level of clarity and faith. I say faith because you start to trust Lauren, at least I did. Despite the underlying theme of deceit in the memoir, there is this sense of truth/trust between Lauren and the reader. As the reader you expect her to explain her life-story and herself in general; this she does with any difficulties. And as the story progresses, I want to know more about what Lauren thinks and desires, rather than the factual events. The bendable, narrative truth that she praises as being the correct way of conveying oneself is what I desire. Furthermore, this passage supports the idea of this text being considered a memoir. For clarity, the definition of a memoir is:

a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation.

I think that she has accomplished creating a memoir, because she gives us these events in her life, whether they be factual or fictional. She also, prominently and expansively, gives us her personal opinions on said events. This entire books does. This passage in particular though talks about the overall concept that she is using. It speaks of using subjective truth rather than its counterpart, and through this she is recreating the stereotypical idea of a memoir.