HINDSIGHT

ESSAY
Here starts the
lesson!
 What is a Hindsight Essay?

The hindsight essay asks a writer to focus on chronological cause and effect. The
two parts of the essay are connected to each other in time. It’s like one thing
happened in the past and you are really bearing the result of it or you are taking a
particular decision right now and what you perceive would be the impact of it on
your life.

In this essay, the focus is on the analysis and description of how the past influences
the present- in negative or positive ways. It asks a writer to make explicit
connections between the concrete and the abstract.
 SEED SENTENCES
Either of the structures could
be used:

1) “_______ is the way it was, and that made this

______ difference.”

2) “Because of _______, I
[understand/recognize/believe etc.] ________.”
 Points to be noted:
• Both parts of the essay do not require narrative
balance.

• A section of the essay needs to describe the ‘turn’, i.e.,

the causal shift defined by the conjunction itself.

• Cause and effect must be shown explicitly .

• Memories should be reflected and pondered upon to

make the essay interesting.

• The essay must have a good description of the feelings

and emotions felt before, during, and after the event.
 NARRATIVE BALANCE IS NOT
REQUIRED

One part of the essay could be small, but the impact

could be very strong, or the process of decision
making could be elaborated in detail and the impact
that you perceive or that you are experiencing right
now could be a small one.
 Thanks for
watching the
video!