Hindsight The Essay on Hindsight When we look
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Hindsight
The Essay on Hindsight When we look back we see patterns. The two parts of this essay are the Way and the Difference. What was the way it was? What difference did it make? There is a realization that occurs based on a past event. There will be analysis as to how and why the change occurred.
Hindsight All of the essays we wrote have been largely personal and concrete. So we will continue on this journey. The essay form we will study now is concerned with consequences. This form of essay will be looking back to define how the writer has come out of the past. This will also be a two-part structure, and will have a turning point. This is the essay of Hindsight.
Examples: When I found out the power I had for harming others, I became a careful driver. The way it was: I drove without a care in the world. The realization: Caused by an accident? I had the power to harm others. The difference: Now I drive carefully.
Example: It wasn’t till I celebrated my independence by leaving home that I found out how dependent I was on my mother and father. The way it was: I used to crave to live independently The realization: Caused by moving out. I missed my parents terribly. The difference: Independence is not just a celebration.
Examples: Because my father was an optimist who loved adventure, I grew up learning to trust myself. I’m going back to college now – though I am twenty years late – because my father thought that no one could be happy for long without an education.
Observation Questions “Of all the words…the saddest are ‘it might have been’” “It is easy to be wise after the event. ” How true or fitting are these quotes to the narrative? Identify the turning point in the essay, and explain why it works or doesn’t work. Do you find the story relatable? Why or why not?
