Molly Keen Childhood Memories (1903-1921): Author Blog

I have thoroughly enjoyed learning Molly Keen’s story of her childhood, because she describes exactly what working-class life was like during the years 1903-1921. Molly’s descriptions are well-rounded and she produces a compelling read. I feel that my research skills have improved, as well as my ability to be able to link one working-class autobiography to another. Many of the other autobiographies that I have read are similar to Molly’s through descriptions of: World Wars, Family life, the domestic stereotypes surrounding women of this age, and particularly the devotion to a religion which stems from their parents’ beliefs.

Through my blog, I would like to think that I have provided an interesting read and insight into Molly Keen’s childhood, as I sectioned my blogs so that I could describe all aspects of her memoire. Furthermore, I would like to think that I have done Keen’s memoire justice, and something that her family generations would be proud to read.

I have learned how collaborative research really helps to understand patterns across working-class autobiographies. I also believe that collaborative research has helped me to help others, in terms of helping peers understand the importance of themes that stem across all autobiographies from working-class authors.

In terms of blogging itself, I have learned that sectioning off different themes really helps the blogs flow cohesively, as I am not referring back to the same points repeatedly. My only previous experience of blogging was a module in my second year at university, but because I had such an interesting author and memoire, I feel much more confident in writing several bogs on just one person. In particular, because of the several key themes in Molly’s memoire, such as religion and family life, it is easier to integrate secondary sources into the blog because the research for them can be much more specific. Blogs have made me much more aware of writing more succinctly, due to the low word count, and the need to include enough detail to do the memoire justice.

I have never really used twitter before, so it is interesting to be able to tweet a blog and then see the comments on the Writing Lives website from fellow peers. From this project, I shall be taking away honed abilities of writing in a more specific tone. Blogs have really helped me to not repeat myself, as well as helping my research and reading. This is because I have known exactly what I have been looking for due to separate themes. Furthermore, the interesting nature of Molly Keen’s memoire has helped me to understand more about the effects of war on a young child, and thus why a hard-working ethic can help you to aspire to achieve more, such as how Molly ends her memoire at the very beginning of her nursing career.