The Truth of History

The Truth of History

  • Submitted By: kaydee
  • Date Submitted: 10/10/2010 3:09 AM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 1120
  • Page: 5
  • Views: 786

To know the truth of history is to realise its ultimate myth and its inevitable ambiguity.
The relationship between both History and memory allows us to realise its ultimate myth and its inevitable ambiguity. History alone is not always accurate when determining the truth. There will always be contrasting perspectives and interpretation of a particular event. History can be seen as an impersonal arrangement of the past based on evidence, documents, facts and statistics which may conflict with memory which is recalling or recognising past experiences and is usually highly subjective and emotional. However, history may also be a misrepresentation of the truth as Memory can be inaccurate and influenced by subjective emotions in which history may be used to verify memory. This may reflect upon the representations of the past based on evidence, facts, documents and statistics creating doubt , confusion and personal experiences of memory that shapes truth. This is effectively portrayed in Mark Baker’s text ‘the fiftieth gate’ and the poem, “Stringy Bark Creek” by offenders and Johnson’s documentary The stolen Generation which explore the relationship between history and memory.
History and memory are both incomplete representation of the past. They are both based on one’s perspective and the overlook of the event. Each of the relationships between History and memory can be used to attest the other.
This is explored in Mark Baker’s text, “the fiftieth gate”. Within the text, memory contradicts the historical evidence in which Baker uses to encounter his parent’ experiences and perspectives that have impacted on memory. The exploration of the ultimate myth and inevitable ambiguity of history is reflected through Genia’s personal experiences as Baker questions whether “history remembers more than memory”. Since his mother’s story was abandoned, Baker feels compelled to record his mother’s story and verify her character as Baker could only locate an inaccurate...

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