A biography is a literary genre that narrates the life of a person, usually a public figure or a recognized figure, in the third person. For example: Lincoln by Cesar Vidal; Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson; and Bios: Lives That Shaped Yours by Luis Alberto Spinetta by National Geographic.
This genre, which has its origins in the 17th century, is compiled based on data and, if possible, interviews with family members, friends, colleagues, or acquaintances of the person. These works typically include facts and anecdotes about the person from their childhood to their final days. They also include information about their family, friends, studies, occupation or profession, their most important works, as well as the environments that may have shaped their life: school, neighborhood, city.
Biographies can include descriptions of the character’s personality and information about the context and period in which they lived. If the character has died, their legacy and influences up to the time of the work’s publication can also be covered. Memoirs, unlike biographies, focus on a specific period in the character’s life and can even be written by the character themselves, in the first person.
- You may find this useful: Historical chronicle
Characteristics of biographies
- They portray the personality and character of the character.
- They aspire to be objective works.
- They do not necessarily respect the chronological order.
- They combine characteristics of the essay with characteristics of the narrative.
- They are the result of research that reconstructs the character’s life or the most important moments. They always detail places and dates.
- They are written in the third person.
- They do not have a defined extension.
Types of biography
- Authorized biography. Reviewed and approved by the author.
- Unauthorized biography. It does not have the endorsement or authorization of the person being biography.
- Autobiography. The protagonist of the biography is the author of the work, so it is written in the first person.
Examples of biographies
- Catch Me If You Can. This film directed by Steven Spielberg portrays the life of American Frank Abagnale Jr., a con man who, starting at age 19, poses as an airline pilot, doctor, and lawyer, amassing a considerable fortune. Furthermore, this character (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) resorts to check forgery with such skill that he ends up being recruited by the FBI as an advisor. The film was released in 2002 and received two Oscar nominations, in the categories of Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken and Best Original Score for John Williams.
- Truman Capote. This film, released in February 2006, tells the story of American journalist Truman Capote. Its screenplay is based on the book “Capote, a biography” by Gerald Clarke. Set in November 1959, it tells how the writer (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman) embarks on writing the book “In Cold Blood” based on a short newspaper article that recounts the horrific murder of a family in Kansas. For this performance, Hoffman won the Oscar for Best Actor.
- Ray. This film tells the life of soul and R&B musician Ray Charles who, despite his vision problems and with the help of his mother, managed to become one of the most prominent pianists and musicians of the 1950s and 1960s. This film, released in January 2005, was directed by Taylor Hackford and depicts how the artist from humble origins ends up involved in drug problems, in addition to being the victim of abusive relationships. Jamie Foxx played Charles and won the Oscar for Best Leading Actor. In addition, the film won an award in the category of Best Sound.
- The Wolf of Wall Street. This film directed by Martin Scorsese portrays the life of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), who refuses to cooperate in a fraud case for which he is convicted. Released in 2013, the film received five Oscar nominations.
- Maria Sharapova: The Point. This documentary, released in 2017, portrays the months during which the professional tennis player was suspended, the consequences of the 15-month suspension, and her return to the court. The 55-minute documentary intersperses archival footage with professional videos of the Russian athlete.
- Lives that shaped yours: Charly García. This documentary produced by National Geographic portrays the life and work of the Argentine musician. Released in 2018, García himself and singer Julieta Venegas, along with biographers, musicians, and journalists, review the artist’s work and milestones in his musical and personal life.
- Trump: An American Dream. This four-part documentary, released in 2018, chronicles the life of former US President Donald Trump. The film draws on testimonies from critics and friends alike, chronicling the magnate from his early days as a construction entrepreneur at his father’s company to his eventual rise to the White House, a feat that seemed impossible to many. The documentary also includes details about his personal life, his foray into the casino industry, and his feat of appealing to the stock market when his empire was on the brink of collapse.
- The Younger Sister. A Portrait of Silvina Ocampo, by Mariana Enriquez. Published in 2018, this book reviews the life of Silvina Ocampo. Raised in an aristocratic family, the Argentine writer not only transcended for her literary work but also for her private side: her relationship with her husband, fellow writer Adolfo Bioy Casares, her conflicts with her sister Victoria, her friendships with figures such as Jorge Luis Borges, and her alleged affairs with Bioy’s mother and the poet Alejandra Pizarnik.
- Michael Jordan. The King of the Game, by Máximo José Tobías. This book, published in 2020, portrays the life of the Chicago Bulls’ most recognizable player and one of the NBA’s most important figures. Throughout its 400 pages, the work covers the basketball star’s childhood in North Carolina to the end of his career with the Washington Wizards. It also delves into the six NBA championships in which he participated, for which a statue was dedicated to him that bears the legend “the best who ever existed, the best there ever will be.”
- Frida Kahlo. A biography, by María Hesse. This 160-page book chronicles the life and work of the Mexican artist, who refused to be overshadowed by “her great love,” fellow painter Diego Rivera.