Hey this is my first ever SAT essay, and where I live there's no one familiar with the SAT. It took me about half an hour to complete, its not edited, due to the harsh time limit allocated in the test.
Please feel free to tear it apart and score it(1-6)
Thank you for any assistance!
Prompt:
"Many persons believe that to move up the ladder of success and achievement, they must forget the past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have just the opposite view. They see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past and the present"
Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their efforts to learn from the past and succeed in the present?
Memories are the base of any success. In order to prevent repeating mistakes, or perhaps to recall past victories and the methods requires to reap even greater victories, it is essential to have the past to analyze. Memory is what reminds me of the importance of being prompt at all times. In the Pillars Of The Earth an innocent priest accredits his success at the end to the memory of his past blindness. And it was also memory that protected Elizabethean England from staggering wars.
It is only human nature for one to make mistakes. We have an innate reflex that proves we are alive, thus faults are inevitable. However, once such "honest" mistakes are committed, one can no longer do the same wrong thing again, and hope to seek refuge in "being human". Without our memories we would not have past faults to help us prevent them in the present. This was proved I during my experience in Germany on an exchange program. It had never occurred to me-until then-that being ten minutes late could be grounds for channeling resentment from my entire host family. Had I been devoid of that memory, I probably would not have come back home with a beating heart, nor would I have accustomed myself to being exceptionally early for any appointment.
Our experiences in life do not only serve to show us our mistakes, but also teach us about those around us. Many times our endeavors fail or succeed due to the actions of other people who might be involved in the situation. These people may have a negative or a positive impact on us, and at times what may appear to be fruitful help, could just as well be the hands that drag you to your downfall.in such cases, after rising from the fall, one needs their memory of this event to ensure that it does not happen again. As observed in the Pillars Of The Earth by ken Follett, when Father Phillip-a young monk- is deceived into a scheme devised by the cunning father..., Phillip believes he is contributing towards the good of the Kingsbridge priory. When in fact, he is secretly lured into aiding the ruthless bishop in attaining his own selfish goals.
Nonetheless, for every bad memory, there is bound to be three more good ones(provided you smile regularly). And in times of sorrow or doubt, there is nothing more reassuring than a past joyful encounter creeping up on you and furnishing your face with a smile. These past excitement establish clear and distinguished traditions, which may produce future success. It is no surprise then, that after beating the odds by conquering the Spanish Armada, England-under the rule of Queen Elizabeth 1- saw many other victories. The English were outnumbered by the Spanish, yet swift and unified military procession resulted in one of histories most embarrassing defeats for Spain. It was the memory of this one unexpected success, that the English were able to trust their,then, new queen. Once again, hinting at the importance of banking all our experiences.
Both the happy and the sad old times can-in some way- teach us the lessons needed to flourish in the present. Recalling a past lateness can help you appreciate the pleasures of being on time. The deceits that we package in our minds, teach us to tread along more cautiously. And even those gone moments of elation can help us stay sated in the future. Therefore, concluding beyond the shadow of the doubt, that our memories have a direct impact one our success
In order to prevent repeating mistakes, or perhaps to recall past victories and the methods requires to reap even greater victories, it is essential to have the past to analyze.
....Here the important point is that you need the past for analyzing purpose that would help achieve a better present and future. So, I wish you changed the order of this sentence;
Without having a past to analyze, we cannot prevent repeating mistakes, or perhaps recalling past victories and methods to reap even greater victories.