Assignment #1: I Remember, I Remember
Though it has unifying threads, Mary Ruefle’s “I Remember, I Remember” is wandering and associative in its movements, never quite landing at any central “truth.” The primary organizing principle is the recurrence of “I remember,” which begins every turn in the essay. Some memories examined are very short, while others are a paragraph long; some memories are linked to one another, but not all. Notice how Ruefle does not compile these rememberings in chronological order; periods of her life weave in and out of each other, creating a dynamic tapestry that reveals much about the complex natures of memory, psychology, and imagination.
For your first assignment, write your own “I Remember, I Remember” piece. Do not focus on one period of your life. Detail specific memories using senses: sound, sight, touch, taste, smell. This piece should be roughly 500-750 words.
Submit the assignment to the Blackboard site by Friday 1/22 at 11:59pm.