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Analying Narratives
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Learning Targets
Analyze the elements of a personal narrative.
Identify the sequence of events in a
narrative.
Compare narratives to analyze effective
beginnings and endings.
Before Reading
Think of articles of clothing that you
remember because you especially liked
or disliked them. In the personal essay
you will read, author Gary Soto uses a
simile to compare a hated jacket to “an
enemy.” In a quickwrite, describe your
article of clothing. Remember to use
descriptive words to capture the image
you are trying to portray and a simile or a
metaphor to make a comparison.
During Reading
2. In this activity, you will read two
examples of personal narrative. Before
reading the first piece, your teacher will
assign you to an expert group. Do a close
reading of “The Jacket” to find the
elements of an effective narrative
according to your expert assignment.
About the Author
Gary Soto grew up in Fresno, California, and
now lives in Berkeley, California. In high
school, he discovered a love of reading and
knew he wanted to be a writer. Soto started
writing while in college. He has written
poems, short stories, and novels, which
capture the vivid details of everyday life and
which have won numerous awards and prizes.
Of Mexican-American heritage, Soto speaks
Spanish as well as English.
After Reading
Use the graphic organizer to take
notes on your analysis of “The
Jacket.”
4. You will next read an excerpt from the novel
Kira-Kira. As you read, look closely at the
opening. How does it set the time, place, and
point of view for the story? Also make notes
and mark the text for the sequence of events,
sensory language, vivid verbs, and
descriptive details.
About the Author
Cynthia Kadohata had published two novels for adults
before she wrote Kira-Kira, which won the Newbery
Medal in 2005. Kira-Kira and her next novel,
Weedflower, explore the experiences of Japanese
American families in the United States from a child’s
viewpoint. In her book Cracker!: The Best Dog in
Vietnam, Kadohata shares her love of dogs. Kadohata
earned a degree in journalism from the University of
Southern California.
After Reading
5. How do the opening
paragraphs describe the
relationship between the two
sisters? Write a sentence using
an appropriate adjective that
describes this relationship.
6. Use the following graphic organizer to
identify the scenes in the order in which
they happened in the incident. Write a
sentence that explains what Katie may
have been feeling.
7.
Write a short summary of the main idea in this text.
8.
Including "My Superpowers," you have now read
three different personal narratives. Reread the
openings for each of the narratives. Choose the
opening that you think is the most interesting and
effective, and explain why.
9.
Now look at the endings. Which ending is most
effective at closing the story? Explain why.
Check Your Understanding
With your group, choose one of the narratives you have read
and make a poster that demonstrates your analysis of the story
by creatively incorporating the following:
Title and author of text.
An ending to the sentence: This narrative is effective because
…
Examples of textual evidence that support the sentence.
Pictures/symbols/colors that illustrate the elements of a
narrative.
As you complete your poster, think about the answer to the
essential question: What makes a good story?