Below are two sample essays that was marked in year 12.
Sample A+ Essay 9/10
Analyse how memory is depicted as simultaneously inescapable and unbearable in The Longest Memory and Black Diggers.
Spoiler
Fred D’Aguiar’s novel The Longest Memory explores the depressing reality of slavery and the overwhelming, inescapable pain suffered by the slaves. Likewise, Tom Wright’s play Black Diggers depicts the oppressed Indigenous Australians who, despite enormous sacrifice, could not escape the agony of the past nor the disappointment of a bleak future, thus both texts highlight the underlying power of memory, being both unavoidable and intolerable. However despite this, D’Aguiar and Wright also assert that some people are able to bear the devastating impact of prejudice and oppression.
Both D’Aguiar and Wright depict memories of trauma and oppression as being an unavoidable aspect of one’s life journey. D’Aguiar utilises the tragic rape of Cook to demonstrate that memory of traumatic events can never be forgotten “I told her if she made a noise she would soon be dead… I resorted to choking her until she virtually went into a faint. She was a statue”. Here D’Aguiar adopts the metaphor of a statue to emphasise that not only did Cook freeze as she was stricken by fear from the abuse, but also to suggest that she had no means of escape, and thus for Cook, “this whole mess cannot be ended”. Cook is unable to escape from the memory of her rape, it was so traumatic she “wanted to die”, thus D’Aguiar reinforces to his audience that memory of trauma remains in us forever, we cannot escape from our past. Similarly, Wright examines that the recollection of the past can be inescapable, he explores through Bertie’s trauma who he depicts as completely shell-shocked [BERTIE…stands to attention] as despair has completely taken over him, he has lost all sense of peace and tranquillity as he [just stares into space], and as a consequence he is “not coming back from the world of the grown ups”. Wright’s intends the reference to the world of the grown-ups, as a metaphor to represent reality and thus emphasise the harsh pain Bertie suffers as he had to witness “hundreds of bodies” which he cannot escape but rather forever retains in his memory. Additionally, Wright adopts the long monologue of the Ghost who by illustrating the futility of war, also highlights that memory lasts forever as the Ghost “wasn’t heading home” but rather “specks of [him] dribbled back through the wood into the river,” alluding to the legacy of war asserting that although WWI has ended, the memory of trauma and suffering continues for eternity. As a result, the texts exhibit that there are times when we cannot truly be free from the past, memory is inescapable.
Both D’Aguiar and Wright reveal that in addition to its inescapable nature memory can also be torturous. D’Aguiar adopts a fragmented structure to demonstrate that the recollection of the past is often bound up in a never-ending cycle thus his episodic structure alludes to the idea that slavery can never be recovered from. D’Aguiar utilises metaphor to demonstrate that “memory is pain trying to resurrect itself” he examines Whitechapel’s depressed state of mind, regret and guilt for being responsible for Chapel’s death, but he emphasises that memory tortures the soul and destroys us “the future is just more of the past waiting to happen”. Hence, he suggests that we cannot forget, since “memory hurts” and this pain is unable to be forgotten but rather lives with us forever just as Whitechapel is unable to cope with his guilt, admitting “I fail as a father. I am insufficient”. Likewise, Wright highlights that memory can be painful and unforgettable, but Wright differs from D’Aguiar when he suggests that painful memories are nonetheless a necessary human experience. Wright delves deeply into the trauma and pain of the experiences of war faced by the Aboriginal soldiers revealing that painful memory can torture and haunt us. He reveals that in the “broken, weak, sad world” we try to forget in order to cope with our pasts but despite this “every year it inches its way up, because that’s what a leftover bit of war does” Wright adopts the symbolic representation of the metal from the Iron Harvest as being the memory of pain and trauma that will always emerge from within us. Here he warns his audience that pain leaves us damaged on the inside, since “the bits left behind, they’ll come out” demonstrating, like Whitechapel, the Indigenous soldiers were unable to cope since “for a long time” they were “dead”. Therefore, both texts warn the audience that memory is an unavoidable pain, and although difficult must be accepted as a part of the human experience.
However, although memory can be seen as inescapable and unbearable, Wright demonstrates how characters can gain permanently from the pain of memory whereas D’Aguiar suggests this can only be temporary. Wright explores how mutual grief can make the memory of “the worst thing on earth” bearable he demonstrates through the Bloke with a Glass of Wine that “in those hideous moments in hell on Earth… you realise I belong” here Wright reveals that through mateship on the battlefield the Indigenous Australians were accepted, and thus by grieving together with the white Australians they could bear the pain of the war. Wright intends on opening Act Two with the Bloke with a Glass of Wine to illustrate that in the “living hell” of war the next generation of black diggers were no longer “woebegone [failures]” but rather could share pride with the White Australians “for being an Aussie”, resultantly revealing that trauma “brought [them] together”. Conversely, D’Aguiar demonstrates that through love Chapel could only momentarily endure his experiences of oppression. D’Aguiar highlights Chapel and Lydia’s relationship allowed them to be happy evident when Lydia reveals “that his love for me is such that no one… can stop him doing what is necessary for us to be together” demonstrating Chapel was able to bear the pain whilst being a slave with no ideal future. Despite their passion, D’Aguiar depicts the couple as “two star-crossed lovers” foreshadowing their doom and eventual separation. Here, D’Aguiar reveals although Chapel feels “joy; not fear” he is denied a future, and his relationship with Lydia, his safe haven, was only temporary. Consequently, D’Aguiar illustrates that, unlike The Bloke with a Glass of Wine, Chapel was unable to sustain a future, robbed of his life as “the whip ate into him” his death a result of prejudice, his inability to combat his enslavement. Therefore, although both texts differ in their portrayal of traumatic experiences and their memories, they are united in their assertion that those experiences and memories are fundamental components of our existence.
Thus, The Longest Memory suggests that memory is generally inescapable and unbearable, and only love can enable us to temporarily bear our memory. Likewise, Black Diggers showcases that most often memory is intolerable and permanent, and only mutual grief can allow us to permanently endure our memory. Hence, both texts are united in their depiction of the slaves and black diggers memory of past trauma, whilst their experience of prejudice and discrimination differs, ultimately they share a sense of despair in that forgetting is merely impossible, recovering from the past is one of life’s greatest challenges.
Sample A+ Essay 9/10
Compare the impact of one group of people assuming mastery over another in both text.
Spoiler
Fred D’Aguiar’s novel The Longest Memory explores slaves being compliant to the plantation owners. Likewise, Tom Wright’s play Black Diggers depicts the oppressed Indigenous Australians who, despite enormous sacrifice were left discriminated and rejected by the White Australians, thus both text highlight minority groups being discriminated against, yet both authors reveal that some fight against being oppressed. Moreover, D’Aguiar and Wright reveal that ultimately risking one’s life for change is worthwhile.
Both D’Aguiar and Wright reveal minority groups give in to command of a master group. D’Aguiar demonstrates through Whitechapel that due to the white Americans acting as a master group against the slaves, some slaves chose to act with “obedience, subservience, compliance” consequently, Whitechapel’s compliance left him depressed and hopeless and a traumatised witness of “the public display of savagery”. Here, D’Aguiar illustrates through Chapel’s death that due to the power imbalances of the whites and blacks, the slaves were left oppressed evident when Whitechapel reveals “I do not care about your happiness, your life is everything to me”. Additionally, D’Aguiar reveals that the plantation owners describe Whitechapel “that slave of yours is a slaver’s dream” suggesting that master groups are aware of the mistreatment they direct to towards the slaves, yet D’Aguiar highlight their apathetic attitude towards the slaves, demonstrating that not only is the establishment of master groups detrimental to society, people with power are not blind to the oppression they instigate. Similarly, Wright exhibits Indigenous Australians that accepted being inferior to the White Australians, evident when the Old Hand argues with Archie “You’re stirrin’ things up. Let ‘em be” he suggests that they as Aboriginal Australians are able to change the current social standards, and simply allow the power imbalances. Having highlighted the Indigenous Australians acceptance of their oppression, Wright then reveals the despair the Indigenous Australians suffered, evident when Nigel is presented as [a sad figure] although he desires for better outcomes, his future is merely him handing out flyers in which he apologises “Sorry Dad” revealing his complete hopelessness and acceptance of reality. Therefore, the texts illustrate that master groups cause minority groups to be depressed and accepting of their low status.
Despite minority groups complying to a master group, some choose to rebel against their oppression. D’Aguiar presents Chapel’s attempt from trying to be free from slavery causing him to rebel against his father “the abyss/ Between us” the use of poetic verse highlights Chapel rebelling against Whitechapel, by describing their relationship as an abyss, he illustrates Chapel’s rebellion has caused him to lose his relationship with his subservient father. Despite, losing his relationship with his father, Chapel attempts to escape where he feels “joy; not fear” running away to reach freedom, only to be caught by “the whip” that “fed onto him” consequently Chapel sacrifices his life for freedom, not accepting the mistreatment provided by the white Americans, who depicts his actions as “rebellion of the most heinous kind”. Thus, although many chose to obey the commands of a master group, some chose to evade from such treatment in hope for a bright future, but were defeated by the unfair social hierarchy. Likewise, Wright reveals that there were some Indigenous Australians who strived for equality, exhibiting that they could not overthrow the power imbalances the white Australians established. Wright highlights through Mick who is hopeful for change, he does not accept being discriminated seen when he [punches out four of them out in a row]. Here, Wright alludes the importance of fighting for freedom, he emphasises through Mick that we need a desire for change in order to reach equality. Yet, Mick like Chapel is left disappointed, upon his return the land from his Aboriginal community is taken away and “allocated to returned servicemen” whilst Mick was “a serious war hero” who was “fighting to protect [the] country” he reveals that due to power imbalances being fixed the war for equality is “never going to end”. As a result, both texts reveal that although some people combatted against master groups, they were unable to achieve change.
However, both texts reveal the importance of an equitable society, Wright demonstrates the impact of equality being long-lasting, whereas D’Aguiar demonstrates the near impossibly of reaching equality. Wright explores how mutual grief can make the memory of “the worst thing on earth” enable for equality to exist he demonstrates through the Bloke with a Glass of Wine that “in those hideous moments in hell on Earth… you realise I belong” here Wright reveals that through mateship on the battlefield the Indigenous Australians were accepted, and thus the possibility for equality and the abandonment of master groups. Additionally, through the implementation of the Correspondence he articulates his resentment of the hypocritical treatment towards the Indigenous Australians which he condemns as a “gross injustice” his use of letters intends to highlight to the audience the existence of the letters suggests the need and potential of the Indigenous Australians having “equal rights with the white community”. Accordingly, Wright establishes the urgency to abolish the concept of master groups and the commencement of an equitable society. Conversely, D’Aguiar demonstrates that fighting for change although necessary, is often difficult to achieve. Comparable to Wright’s letters of the Correspondence, D’Aguiar also employs structural use of The Virginian, that demonstrate near impossibility of reaching equality, as symbolised by the non-chronological order of the editorials. The editor promotes the unequal standards of slaver and slave where he suggests “They are, quite literally, not like us” and that ultimately there will be “no end to slavery”. Here, D’Aguiar exposes the unjust attitudes the white American possess, but also reveals that accomplishment of equality is merely a dream. The editor challenges Lydia’s notion “slavery is dying as an institution” by a blunt comment “She exhibits a love for blacks that clouds her ability to reason” despite the prejudiced claim, in the end Lydia is unable to free Chapel from slavery, consequently D’Aguiar exposes that although the disbandment of master groups is necessary for the improvement of society, the power imbalances remain heavily entrenched. Thus, although both texts differ in their portrayal of societies reaching equality, they are united in their assertion that for humanity to develop to its full potential, equality of all individuals must exist and be protected
Thus, The Longest Memory suggests that the consequences of master groups are detrimental to society. Likewise, Black Diggers showcases that most often the perpetuation of an unfair social hierarchy holds great danger for society.. Hence, both texts are united in their depiction of the slaves and black diggers desire to reach equality , whilst their experience of prejudice and discrimination differs, ultimately they share a sense of exigency to revoke unequal social standards, and promote an equal, just and fair society.
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