Sharing of Narratives : Analyzing how Tara Westover’s Educated Subverts the Genre Conventions and the Value of Autobiography in the EFL Classroom 

Abstract: This essay presents a literary analysis of the autobiography Educated (2018) by Tara Westover. The analysis examines to what extent Westover’s story conforms and subverts the genre conventions of the Bildungsroman and the autobiography. An overview of the genre constitutions is therefore provided. In addition, the essay focuses on the use of the autobiography in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Besides creating an arena for critical discussion and reflection in the Swedish upper secondary school, the autobiography may also encourage students to share their own stories. The findings show that Educated both conforms to and subverts the Bildungsroman genre. It is concluded that Westover’s autobiography challenges traditional genre conventions and may serve as a valuable tool in the EFL classroom.