Context, looking for any general tips, thoughts on this piece.

[Ghost!]

I've got a persuasive context SAC coming up tomorrow that has to be written as an opinion article. A big thanks to anybody who takes the time to have a read and help me, I'll be happy to return the favour in anyway

Prompt - 'We can never fully escape our past, no matter how hard we try'

A Streetcar Named Escapism
The Australian, 12/04/2011

"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." The words of American novelist, short story writer and essayist Phillip K Dick clearly explicates the notion that reality never leaves us, and we can never abandon it. Consequently, no matter how hard we try, we can never fully escape our past. Through the study of various literary sources including Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire", such ideas are illuminated.

Escaping from reality is an important part of everybody's lives at one stage or another, and it's not uncommon for people to retreat into a life in the shadows of illusions in preference to the open harshness of reality. For example, such ideas are explored in Tennessee Williams' 1947 play "A Streetcar Named Desire" through the character of Blanche DuBois, a woman so traumatised by the death of her husband she attempts to outrun reality and pain by uprooting herself and moving to New Orleans where her sister Stella, and husband Stanley Kowalski live.

Blanche's first attempt at escaping her past is relatively successful, as she manages to live with Stella and Stanley for several months. However, the trauma she has experienced caused her a great deal of psychological damage and as a result of several personality clashes with Stanley her grip onto illusion loosens overtime and over time Blanche falls deeper and deeper into the insanity of despair.

The concept of escapism is also explored in director Michael Gondry's award winning film "Eternal Sunshine on The Spotless Mind", filmed in 2004. A passionate moment is shared between Doctor Howard Mierzwack, a surgeon who specializes in the removal of memories, and his secretary Mary. Despite Mary having the operation to remove all feelings of intimacy she has felt for Doctor Howard, as well as the deletion of their scandalous affair from her mind, Mary merely falls in love with Doctor Howard for a second time and as a result ruins his marriage and breaks her boyfriends heart. Ultimately, escaping from her past, even with the help of space age technology, is futile.

As I write this, I hear the words of ever Streetcar fanatic ringing in my ears, questioning me on the other female character who escapes her past. What of Stella?

While some people have every intention of escaping their past, people such as Blanche and Mary, some simply move forward and leave the past in the dust. When Stella DuBois falls in love with her beau Stanley, she leaves the southern mansion 'Belle Reve', that she grew up, on adopts a completely new way of life in a two room apartment in New Orleans. Belle Reve offered Stella a life of constantly being waited on for every little thing, were as at New Orleans a life of hard working, discipline and self preservation is a prerequisite for happiness.

While Stella didn't have the intention of escaping her past, it's evident to her lover Stanley that life at Belle Reve wasn't what she wanted, this idea immortalized by Stanley's famous words "You showed me a snapshot of the place with the columns. I pulled you down off those columns, and how you loved it."

While Stella's escape from life is initially a success, much like Blanche her past catches up with her and she slips back into her history. When Blanche moves to New Orleans Stella slowly but surely is subjected to social regression. Over time she opens her self up to Blanche's ideals and concepts of Stanley and their home. Blanche insults Stanley in the beginning of the play, insisting that he is "an animal" with "an animals habits", a statement which Stella simply denies. However, towards the end of the play, as Stanley thrashes around the kitchen throwing plates, Stella jumps up in defense of her sister, opposing him and saying "People like you", exclusive language that serves to separate Stanley and herself, and placing her back upon the columns of Belle Reve.

Whilst there are a plethora of examples of people achieving success, ultimately everybody is limited by their past and no man or woman can escape their past completely. The past is something people should see as a way of getting stronger and improving as a person, learning from our mistakes and weakness is the only way to move forward. This concept is epitomized by the words of British actor Jesse Conrad, who once said "You must learn from the past, watch the present, and create the future."


Thank you very much to anyone who shares some insight!

[lexitu]

- The words clearly explicate (because it's plural it can't be explicates)
-  it's not uncommon for people to retreat into a life in the shadows of illusions in preference to the open harshness of reality. (really this, beautifully written)
- For example, such ideas are explored in Tennessee Williams' 1947 play "A Streetcar Named Desire" (get rid of for example)
- As I write this, I hear the words of ever Streetcar fanatic ringing in my ears, questioning me on the other female character who escapes her past. What of Stella? (nice bridge into the next paragraph and shift in tone)
- The last four paragraphs being with "while", consider alternatives or at least use synonyms (e.g. although)

They're just a few things that I picked up. I really like your writing, think it has a nice flow to it, especially within sentences you have a great turn of the word. You probably need to explore more profoundly into a few examples and be careful not to overly retell.

[Ghost!]

Thanks for your criqtique Lex, gave me a lot of confidence regarding my writing and the SAC tomorrow, thank you!

[lexitu]

That's great, hope you do well mate!