Biography of Audre Lorde

Essay Instructions:

LIFESPAN ADULT BIOGRAPHY FINAL PAPER:

An excellent way to learn about aging is to explore in depth the biography of a well-known historical figure or celebrity and integrate the biography with the course readings. The biography could be of a famous historical figure (e.g., Michelle Obama, Barak Obama, Toni Morrison, Melinda Gates, A. Lincoln, M.K. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, or any president or historical political figure). It may also include any well-known celebrity (e.g., movie star; writer, artist, rock star, comedian, professional athlete, etc.) or any other famous person in which you can find sufficient biographical material (e.g., military leaders, scientists, criminals, etc.). The developmental biography must include information on different phases of development (especially childhood) found in the public domain.

The final course paper based on any historical figure or anyone in which you can cite historical material or biography and integrated with the course readings is required for 50% of the overall grade. The final paper will present a summary of the biography (based on at least two citations) and integration of the course material with the biographical material you have gathered. The final paper assignment must include the following:

The paper must be at least ten (10) double-spaced pages in length not including the title page or a reference page. Identifying information may be included because the person that you choose must be a public figure with at least two citations on their life history. Thus, the biographical material you cite must be in the public domain available to anyone and the person should be at least 40 years of age to be able to explore a good proportion of the life span. The instructor will approve your choice for your biographical analysis by the third class.
The reference page should include relevant course readings and possibly other readings you would like to include cited in the text (including biographical material on the person you choose). The biographical material should be placed in the wider context of course readings or other readings on developmental psychology. There should be at least ten (10) references for the paper from the course readings. There should be at least two (2) references on the biography of the person you have chosen to analyze. The final paper integrates and discusses the course readings with the biographical material.
Students should follow APA style for the paper.
Students will present and discuss their biographical analyses in the final two class meetings. The presentation may include identifying characteristics, occupation, interests, the impact of childhood on development, Erikson/Vaillant’s life stage; defenses used, relationships and any other relevant information or topics you would like to present.
Papers will be due sometime during the final week of classes before the final class of the term because grades must be submitted within a few days of the final class. Grades may be lowered if the final paper is not completed on time.
All papers should have at least four subsections noting:

a) An introductory paragraph stating the purpose of the paper and limitin the topic for the reader.

b) The impact of childhood environment on adult development. You should choose someone who has information on childhood that you can obtain in a biography, autobiography, or an article in the public domain. What is the impact of childhood on adult development? Possibly consider parents or other mentors, or the impact of a loving environment or, conversely, a neglecting or abusive childhood. (Readings on childhood and development may be cited in this section.)

c) Defenses or coping style used with a justification of your choice. Did these defenses change over the life course? (Readings on defenses and coping may be cited in this section), and

d) Erikson/Vaillant stage or task achieved with a justification of your choice. Why do you think that they have achieved a particular life task? Did they progress through each life stage or did they skip a life stage or

Task. (Readings on the Erikson/Vaillant model may be cited here).

Aside from these four subsections (which should be labeled as subsections in the paper), students may choose the content and other themes of the final paper, which should also be labeled as subsections. Themes may include additional information on Erikson’s developmental stages such as intimacy or generativity, the development of gender or minority identities, the impact of defensive or coping style, creativity, moral development, spirituality, death or dying issues, intimacy, work, additional information on the impact of childhood trauma (if any), the impact of positive childhood relationships and mentoring, the impact of an oppressive environment, the impact of the historical cohort on a life or of life events (e.g., wars, economic depression), or other topics relevant for that life.

Biography Final Paper (10 pages, not including Title page or Reference Page)

Introductory Paragraph
Subheading on the Impact of childhood in adult development
1. Sibling relationships?
2. Cherished or Loveless?
3. Traumatized?
4. Neglected?
5. Normative?
6. Coping Style (1/2 – 1 page)
7. Erickson/Valliant Stage. Which state did they achieve? Explain.

Optional themes to add:

Minority status?

Death or Dying Issues?

Cultural Considerations

Social Justice Activities

Love Relationships?

What led to their growth?

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Title
Your name
Subject and Section
Professor’s name
Date
Lifespan Adult Biography of Audre Lorde
The paper gives light to the life of Audre Lorde. She is a poet who is known for being a warrior. She has faced battles in life, career, and society. She has had a long and exhausting journey, but it did not stop her from excelling in her field. Thus, this paper aims to recount the life of Audre Lord. Additionally, the paper seeks to identify her coping style and the analysis of Erikson’s developmental stage and Vaillant’s mechanism defense of ego in her life.
Introduction
Audrey Geraldine Lorde, more commonly known as "Audre Lorde," was born on February 8, 1934. Audre finds her first and last names parallel if they both end with the letter ‘e.’ Also, Audre does not like the shape of the letter ‘y’ in her name. Thus, she modified her name. She is the third child born to Frederick Byron and Linda Gertrude. Her father is in the real estate field, while her mother is different from them. Both of her parents are distant from them because of several reasons. Furthermore, her siblings are Helen and Phyllis, who are also distant from her. Audre is a peculiar child since she only started speaking at five. Also, she is already fascinated with poems and learning at a young age. She is also beginning to be attracted to her female classmates and teachers. As she grows old, she continues to thrive to finish her education and acquire more knowledge that she can use in writing poems. With regards to her relationships, Audre has different lovers, both male and female. Audre married Edward Rollins and bore two children named Elizabeth and Jonathon. However, Edward and Audre ended up separating ways. Despite her failed relationships, Audre still established her name in literature. She produced several exemplary works. She also identifies herself as a black person who fights against oppression and injustices, a lesbian who fights against sexism and discrimination, a mother who fights for her children’s future, a warrior who battles cancer, and a poet who uses words to conquer the world. Audre died of breast cancer in 1992. She adopted the name ‘Gamba Adisa,’ a warrior who creates her purpose (Audre Lorde, n.d.; Oishi & Bowen, 2021).
Impact of Audre’s childhood on adult development
Sibling relationships
In the family, a child learns the alphabet, how to read, write, count, and different shapes and colors. The family influences a child’s behavior and values too. Furthermore, a child’s family experiences may impact them as they grow old. Hence, a child will remember an event, whether positive or negative. If children have a worthwhile and enjoyable experience, they will remember and imitate the good thing they learned from it, resulting in a positive outcome. However, if children have an unpleasant or traumatic experience, they may choose not to repeat it, or they may repeat it but cause harm to themselves and others. Therefore, the children’s experiences in their family will affect them even when they enter adulthood.
Audre Lorde mostly suffered in silence in her family. Audre’s parents are distant, and she lacks support and care fro...

Updated on January 26, 2024

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Biography of Audre Lorde

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