How important is it for a person to summarize his philosophy of life in an early chapter of an autobiography? In most autobiography’s the writer does not say what his beliefs are. I think that saying what your beliefs are is very important in an autobiography. If you write one it is about you. Saying your beliefs would help people know what your lifestyle was. 

As the author of your autobiography your in charge of what the book says and how you describe your life. If you keep reminding the readers your beliefs throughout your autobiography then it will help the readers to understand your autobiography better. In Thoreau’s book Walden he tried to do this, but failed. He just made himself look extremely hypocritical and narcissistic.

In some autobiography’s it is important to know the background of the person. In Henry David Thoreau’s book Walden he wanted to connect with nature. His autobiography was about him going to live on Walden Pond and building a shack there to live in. For twenty-six months of his life he did a little experiment. He talked about his life on Walden Pond and his experiment.

I don’t really care if the author of an autobiography does not write his beliefs, but writing there beliefs would make their autobiography better to understand. If I write an autobiography I would no doubt put my beliefs in it. I would also remind the reader of my beliefs.