Narrative Essay
English 1711 Narrative Essay Assignment
Writing Goal: Write an essay using narrative organization and techniques to support a point
Related exercises: Prewrite
Requirements:
· Two double spaced pages in length (0.5 pages’ pre-write, and 1.5 pages essay)
· MLA format document
· Written in Standard English
· Well-developed, unified and coherent paragraphs
· Revise and edit to correct errors and ensure clarity of expression
· 12-point font, double-spacing
· Your own original work, written for this class. Do not use outside sources or any writing apps.
· Use first person—this is a story about one of your own life experiences
· Include dialogue between characters and surrounded by quotation marks
Include a strong, well-crafted thesis statement. Below is a guide on how to write a thesis statement
Review Little Seagull page 18, “Developing a Tentative Thesis”
Your thesis should identify the topic of your essay and your claim about it and be in the form of one sentence.
Look at your prewrite exercise for the narrative essay and identify your topic and claim about the topic, then write a single sentence that tells readers what they are. Keep in mind that you will probably have to revise your thesis statement as your ideas evolve while you write the essay.
Keep in mind that thesis statements are:
1. One sentence in length
2. Not too broad that they can’t be developed within the scope of the assignment
3. Not too narrow to be developed fully
4. Not in the form of a question or announcement of the purpose of the essay
About the Essay
A narrative essay tells a story in order to support a point and help readers understand it. The story will usually follow chronological organization, relating a sequence of events. Pay attention to transitions throughout your essay, making sure readers are guided smoothly through time and place in the narrative.
Writing Prompt: Choose ONE:
1. Have you ever been frightened and learned from the frightening experience? Tell the story of the experience and tell us what you learned from it.
2. At some point in your life, did you find a sanctuary, as Lynda Barry did? Tell about a time you needed and found this sanctuary
3. Did you ever have a significant experience at school? What happened? Why was it significant? What did you learn from it?
4. Tell us about an event that changed your life—how and why?
The essay has two parts
Part 1 – Narrative Essay Prewrite Exercise: Norton Sampler, pages 46-48
Review the techniques for generating ideas described in Norton Sampler, pages 46-48. Choose the method that you feel will work best for you and spend ten minutes prewriting based on the subject you’ve chosen for your narrative essay.
This is a prewrite—don’t judge and don’t stop writing.
Which prewrite technique did you choose? Type your prewrite then proceed to work on the essay
Part 2 – write the essay now as per the above guidelines. Do not forget to include the thesis statement s discussed
Books:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1OX1K82iNK-2GAUFYFr8smZLKIJmnyKOe?usp=sharing
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Prewrite Technique: Free Writing
When I think about a time when I was frightened and learned from the experience, one incident immediately comes to mind. It was during a family trip to the Grand Canyon when I was 12 years old. My parents, my brother, and I had decided to hike down to the bottom of the canyon and back up in one day. I had never been on such a long hike before and I was excited but also a little scared.
As we began our descent, I couldn’t help but feel awestruck by the vastness and beauty of the canyon. The colors and layers of rock were breathtaking. But as the day went on, the heat and the steepness of the trail began to take a toll on me. I was getting tired and my legs were sore.
As we reached the bottom of the canyon, we decided to take a break and rest for a bit. That’s when I first realized that something was wrong. I started to feel dizzy and lightheaded, and my heart was racing. I told my parents, but they brushed it off and said it was just the heat and the altitude. But the feeling didn’t go away, and I began to feel more and more anxious.
My parents decided that we should start our hike back up, but I felt like I couldn’t go on. I was too scared and too tired. I begged them to let me stay behind, but they insisted that we stick together as a family. I remember my dad saying, “You can do this, kiddo. You’re stronger than you think.”
So I gritted my teeth and kept going, one step at a time. And as we climbed higher and higher, something amazing happened. The fear and the anxiety started to dissipate, and I began to feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. I realized that I had pushed myself beyond my limits and that I was capable of so much more than I had ever thought possible.
As we reached the top of the canyon, I felt a wave of relief and joy wash over me. I had done it! I had conquered my fear and learned that I was stronger than I ever imagined. And that was a lesson that I would carry with me for the rest of my life.
Thesis statement: The experience of overcoming my fear and physical limitations during a hike to the Grand Canyon taught me the valuable lesson that I am capable of achieving more than I ever thought possible.
