Using as a starting point your reflection on the photograph you brought to class and the relationship between the people and events in the photograph and who you are today, you will write a 4-page paper discussing the influence of memory on identity and the role of photography in preserving memory. A photograph triggers memories. How do these memories contribute to your current identity? Start with the photograph you have selected, and construct your thesis around your interpretation of that photo. Conduct an in-depth analysis of the photo and the story surrounding your photo. Your thesis should include your informed position on the influence of memory on identity, a position that you will support with your examples and your sources. Thus, although the essay is personal, and written in first person, you MUST articulate your understanding of the complex relationship of memory, identity and your chosen photo.

Here are some general questions you should try to Is it important to remember the past? Why? How do people tend to remember the past? Do photographs play a role in the construction of this past? Here are some questions specific to your photo: How does your photograph help you remember? Does it remind you of a valuable lesson you learned? How important is this memory for your identity (for who you are)? After a time, are the people and events in our photographs mere ghosts without meaning? Why or why not? How accurately do you remember the memories surrounding your chosen photo? Does the photograph remind you of pleasant or unpleasant experiences? As you proceed with the analysis, try to come up with questions that are specific to your photo.

Audience: think beyond the classroom and your immediate audience. Write as if you want to publish your essay in the New York Times.

You are required to use 1 scholarly source for this paper. If a scholarly source is missing, you will automatically lose 1.5 points from the 5 possible points of the final of this essay. You are free to conduct your own research, but I will be happy to guide you. You can use additional sources that can be personal interviews with family members/friends (cited in your paper as interviews): how do they remember the moment captured in the photo? Do they have a different interpretation of events? Does the moment mean the same or something else for them? Does this influence your memory of the incidents or of the people your photo records?

4 pages (exclusive of works cited), Times New Roman 12, 1-inch margins, double-spaced, MLA Style. For each peer review session, you MUST meet the page lengths outlined below. If page length for peer review is not met, you will lose half a point. The second and third drafts have to be a fresh copy (i. e. edits from peer review should have been addressed).

Thesis 1 point

First Draft (2 pages) 2 points

Second Draft (3 pages) 2 points

Third Draft (Full Essay) 2 points

Essay 1 8 points

Total Essay: 15 points