Categorize Art

David Shields mentions the Oprah vs Frey controversy several different times throughout section "d."
Through further investigation on this controversy, I have come to conclude that this is a perfect example to some of Shields' objectives. Frey created a "memoir" about his life as an alcoholic and drug abuser. Although most of it is true, he admits to twisting some things around for various reasons. Oprah accuses him of lying and points out that because this book cannot be trusted, it gives the readers false hope for alcoholics and drug abusers to overcome these addictions. Even though I do agree with Oprah's point, I do understand Frey's point of view.

When publishing a book, especially a memoir or an autobiography, the author opens up his personal life to be judged by the public. This would be especially nerve-wracking for me. I would tweek different "characters" in my life so as not to humiliate them or myself by explicitly making them and their actions known to the world. This is exactly what James Frey did with his book. He changed the "truth" so that he could protect him and others in his book. This is his comment to Oprah explaining why he did this:

 I think one of the coping mechanisms I developed was sort of this image of myself that was greater, probably, than—not probably—that was greater than what I actually was. In order to get through the experience of the addiction, I thought of myself as being tougher than I was and badder than I was—and it helped me cope. When I was writing the book ... instead of being as introspective as I should have been, I clung to that image.

All of this supports Shields' objective that you really cannot categorize art forms of any type into categories like truth, novels, nonfiction, memoirs, etc. because there are most likely details that discredit the art from fitting the criteria of the category exactly. It also proves that with these categorizations, definitions are evolving as a result of the differing views and circumstances of the world. If Fray had simply not called his book a "memoir," he would not have had all of these accusations of lying and controversy. Oprah even mentions this when she asks why he didn't put a disclaimer on his book. What a big mess over the simply "misuse" of the word memoir for Frey's book!


Info about Oprah and Frey controversy:
"Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com." Oprah.com. N.p., 26 Jan.       2006. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.