Personal Narrative: A Good Memory
When I recently asked Kevin, a sixteen-year-old high school junior, what he needed to do well in history class, he had little doubt: “A good memory.”
“Anything else?”
“Nope. Just memorize facts and stuff, know 'em cold, and when you get the test, give it all back to the teacher.”
“What about thinking? Does that have anything to do with history?”
“Nope. It's all pretty simple. Stuff happened a long time ago. People wrote it down. Others copied it and put it in a book. History!”
“Anything else?”
“Nope. Just memorize facts and stuff, know 'em cold, and when you get the test, give it all back to the teacher.”
“What about thinking? Does that have anything to do with history?”
“Nope. It's all pretty simple. Stuff happened a long time ago. People wrote it down. Others copied it and put it in a book. History!”