Defending Your Life Exercise

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This exercise was inspired by the film with Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep about a man who, before finding his place in heaven, must stand before a tribunal and watch episodes of his life played before them. He must then defend his actions and explain himself.

This activity emphasizes the same principle that there are signifcant moments in all of our lives, including some we may not be proud of. It demonstrates how writers use memories from their own lives for materials for stories, essays, and novels, and encourages students to use their own lives as a basis for their essays.