Writing a Memoir by Frank Mathias

Jami Compton
July 6, 2008

Frank Mathias dabated for a while on the idea of writing a memoir about his experience of being a World War II veteran living in the Pacific. Now, 40 years later, he was concerned about remembering the facts of this lifestyle he lived. He managed to find letters that he had sent back home during the war. Using his fading memory of the moments and finding and asking the soldiers who fought by his side to help assist his memory, Mathias created his own memoir in his free time. The story flowed easily once he stopped trying to force it. Turning from the rigid historical style of writing memoirs and relying on his own personal history and honesty to create this piece proved to be very helpful. Remembering his mental place at the time of the war, he chose his words carefully to display this teenage attitude in his writing.

In this story by Nicole Filmore, she shows the frusteration in dealing with a pregnant sister. She deals with taking up more responsibilities as her sister is expected to do less. She admits to being selfish, but still can't get her mind around the idea that she's expected to do more when she's done mothing wrong. She wasn't the one who get pregnant and she wasn't the one sneaking out at night, but she's the one who's ended up with all the chores. During the birth, she first promises to herself that she will never have children, but this negative view changes completely when she hears the perfect cry of her niece.

Growing up with three older sisters was something that had a lifelong effect on the life of Alison Slusarzyk. Called the baby, she ends up having this need to take care of her older sisters. Looking up to her sisters was a major part in her life, she learned from their mistakes but never stopped looking up to them. She always had a need for them, to take care of her, to hug her, and to be with her. She cared about them greatly even after major events that could've put an end to that. Music and her piano played a large role in her life and her connection with the people around her.

I think this was a great display of Mathias own personal history and I'm glad he went through with the idea of writing it. Not only will he have this book as a later reference for himself when he is much older, but his children and his grandchildren will have it too. They will be able to read all the things their grandfather went through during the war, without just relying on stories told at dinner-time over the table. Writing this memoir of very personal and sometimes tragic events most likely helped him deal with the emotional side of it too. Getting all the weight of remembering these events off his chest and onto paper must have been relieving. Both stories written my FSU students were on a very personal level. I was suprised by how blunt they were about their feelings considering that these emotions changed completely.

1. What intrigued him to continue with writing it even though he never recieved word back fromt he department chairman?

2. What made Nicole Filmore completely change her mind about having children?

3. What made music and songs such an important role in Alisons relationship with her sisters?