Explanation of Main Points in The Achievement of Desire Essay Example

to articulate his own views. Yet, largely, his dismal academic performance stems from his acute realization, more often than Hoggart himself or most of his peers, that education necessitates profound self-transformation. From a young age, as he grapples with an initial homework task while observing his parents, he understands this all too well. This is why he lacks confidence in himself. He doesn't forget that the classroom plays a major role in reshaping him. He leans heavily on his teacher, relies on everything he learns in class and reads in his textbooks. He becomes, in every conspicuous way, the lousiest pupil, an empty shell echoing the views of others."

In the above extract, he acknowledges that the education he pursued has had an adverse impact on him. It has morphed him into an entirely different individual from who he used to be. He no longer identifies with his early youth. He also comes to terms with the fact that he is a "dummy". Essentially, he parrots what others have discovered. He is virtually an imitator devoid of original thought or concept. Viewing himself as a "bad student", this impression begins to weigh on him.

In Section IV, "Over the years, I hesitantly acknowledged my affinity for nostalgia and yearning for the past. I longed for the era when solitude wasn't my constant companion. Books had become less satisfying than they used to be - life's experiences seemed more compelling in comparison. The deafening quiet of the library filled me with dread. The subdued, hesitant faces that surrounded me ignited contempt within. My growing distaste for endless dissertations delving into genre and renaissance literature was escalating. (I could

almost hear the amusement of my relatives as they struggled to decipher its title.) There was an inexplicable thirst within me for something different. I persuaded myself that a life filled with passion was what I desired, perhaps a less contemplative life. Most importantly, I yearned to free myself from this enveloping solitude."

This passage marks the onset of his longing for the past and the individual he used to be - a boy who was always in the comforting presence of family, never experiencing loneliness. This feeling is now but a nostalgic memory. His enthusiasm for reading had diminished; he desired to experience life firsthand, as nothing can truly replicate authenticity. He was gradually awakening to the realities of his detached existence. The library, once a sanctuary, now only heightened his disdain, as did the detached faces that frequented it. He craved an exuberant and spirited lifestyle, with companionship at its crux; he yearned not to be the solitary figure he had become.