Ms. Dominico’s Year 12 VCE English Class

‘What people remember shapes their understanding of themselves and their world.’

Statement of explanation
The expository essay “What people remember shapes their understanding of themselves and their world” aims to inform and explain the essence of memory in shaping human experience. It explores memory persistence, its mutability and our dependence on them to negotiate life. It declares man a flawed but enigmatic creature. The intended audience is an educated adult one and the complex vocabulary, while appropriate for such an audience, discusses core ideas clearly and accessibly for even a non-specialist readership. The essay aims for a level of language sophistication that such an audience would expect and appreciate in a serious magazine. In a detached and formal tone the composition draws on “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind”, a parable on the futility of trying to escape the past. It concludes on an unexpected note as the “eternal sunshine’ is rejected as too bland and the central character’s choice to retain his memories are affirmed.

Essay:
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