Page Patronage: When Memoirs Push an Agenda
When memoirs push an agenda, page patronage is the act of crafting done to move and influence reader’s perception. We read memoirs for intimate, deep dives into another’s life, hoping to understand what makes them tick. However, the very act of crafting a narrative involves choices that can subtly influence the reader’s perception.
In page patronage, authors may inadvertently shape their stories in ways that subtly guide the reader towards a particular interpretation. Take Tara Westover’s Educated, a story of remarkable resilience and self-discovery. Westover’s powerful descriptions and emotional honesty draw us into her world, and we might find ourselves deeply invested in her perspective. Yet, as with any memoir, the narrative is a carefully constructed account of her experiences.
Recognizing this inherent narrative control allows us to engage with memoirs critically, acknowledging the author’s perspective while maintaining our own agency as readers. We need to be mindful of the subtle ways narratives can shape our understanding, without diminishing the power of the story itself.
The “Please Love Me” Vibe
Good memoirs are about sharing your truth, helping us understand things, connecting. Like Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club, where she unflinchingly explores her chaotic childhood. But page patronage is when the writer tries to charm us, like, ‘Believe everything I say.’ They try to make us depend on their story, like it’s the only truth. This is sheer manipulation. We get sucked in, thinking we’re getting into their story, but really, we’re being told what to think.
Take James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces. Initially presented as a raw and unflinching account of addiction and recovery, it later turned out that significant portions were fabricated. Frey wasn’t just telling his story; he was crafting a narrative designed to elicit specific emotional responses, creating a dependency on a version of events that wasn’t entirely true.
Page Patronage: Echo Chambers and Author Worship
Page patronage turns memoirs into these echo chambers. No room for different views, just everyone nodding along. The author is like a guru, and their life story, practically a myth. This is where, for example, some celebrity memoirs can fall short, where the story is curated to maintain a perfect image, rather than explore genuine vulnerability. And this is a flaw because memoirs are supposed to make us feel connected, human. But when they’re used to make us worship the author, we stop thinking for ourselves. We’re just following along.
Fake Perfection In Page Patronage
Page patronage is a performance—the author putting on a show, not being true. Sure, “everything is fiction,” and all stories get polished in the creative writing, but let’s draw the line. Real memoirs show the messy parts, the doubts, the screw-ups, as they make us feel like we’re all in this together. Think of Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, where she lays bare her grief and cultural identity. Page patronage is showing the shiny and perfect story, to make us admire the author. Some highly polished celebrity autobiographies, while entertaining, might fall into this category.
How to Dodge the Page Patronage Trap
So, when writing our memoirs, we must be careful to be vulnerable. Our writing can’t simply aim at pleasing everyone, or worse, influence for marketing purposes. And when we read memoirs, we learn to recognize how memoirists sometimes place themselves on a pedestal. We won’t always agree on the greatness or shortcomings of individuals, but we can agree that a memoir, in its thematic exploration, is not a vehicle for self-branding.
Memoirs are bridges, not stages for ego trips. Real stories connect us, make us think. Let’s keep it real and avoid page patronage. The best memoirs are still the most honest, revealing, and vulnerable, but not for the mere courting of sympathy. Once we move beyond sentimental motivations, though initially driven by powerful emotions, our memoir will have passed the test of self-patronization.
More On Storytelling About Us
Every memoir and biography is a curated narrative, and the line between authenticity and performance can be subjective.
Autofiction: Works like Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle series could be mentioned as examples of autofiction that explores the blurred lines between reality and fiction, but also demonstrates a commitment to unflinching honesty.
Biographies: While biographies are different, the concept of “page patronage” can also apply to biographies that overly glorify their subjects, rather than presenting a balanced view.