'Napoleon on his achievements, 1816': How far can one rely on written sources left by Napoleon?

Are these written sources open to doubt and careful scrutiny? Could it be that Napoleon was constantly and consciously concerned about his own image, and how posterity would view him in later years? By analysing this source, we hope to gain a broader perspective of Napoleon by placing it in context and evaluating its significance. The source in question is the memoir dictated to Count Las Cases by Napoleon, written in 1816 on the island of …

…is very different. The fact of the matter is Napoleon actually crossed the Alps on a mule in beautiful weather. To conclude, this essay has demonstrated that one can not trust primary sources just because a person was there and that sources are open to scrutiny. This essay has also armed oneself with a broader perspective of Napoleon demonstrating his power and seductive ways of manipulating anything and everything that dealt with him. Word count: 754