How can memory change the way an autobiographer describes past events?

Memory is inherently plastic, meaning that an autobiographer’s recollection of past events is subject to both conscious and unconscious omissions and distortions. Because memory regenerates materials as they are being used, an event recorded in a youthful journal often differs from the same event as it is recalled in later years.1

Rather than providing an objective historical record, an autobiography serves as a "sort of life"—a reflection of what the subject wishes or feels impelled to reveal at a specific moment. This process involves an imaginative ordering of materials to create a narrative that captures the essence of a life, which may lead the author to mix details from separate episodes or emphasize certain aspects over others. Ultimately, the autobiographer acts as an artist who reshapes their past through the lens of their current perspective, balancing the desire for authenticity with the necessity of creating a coherent, meaningful life story.123