PERSONAL NARRATIVE / ESSAY – NON-FICTION
#1. School Memory—SEE ASSIGNMENT for examples and explicit directions
—personal storytelling voice (10 points)
—concrete detail (also, Proper Nouns) (10 points)
—classic story elements; build up to main idea (beginning, middle, end) (10 points)
—underline concrete details and proper nouns (at least six total) (5 points)
—polished writing; no grammatical or mechanical errors (5 points)
#2. Childhood Photo—find an interesting photograph with you as a child in it
—start with “Picture this…” and then proceed in the present tense, capturing a sense of immediacy
—capture POV of young self, even as you maintain EMOTIONAL DISTANCE (or ironic
distance) [i.e. there is sympathy…humor…as you NOW “witness” you THEN]
—concrete/visual details from picture
—emotional detail and “action” that portrays you (others?)
—story/scene structure: beginning, middle, end (you/character…goal/conflict…resolution)
—3/4 page (200 words OK) – (max) full page
—If possible, use a digital photo, which you include on the page, or on page two
Typed, double-spaced, heading, title, photo (attached), polished writing—5 points.
“Picture this/present tense/sense of immediacy—10 points.
First-person/voice/emotional, ironic distance—10 points.
Concrete visual detail—10 points.
Structure/ARC—5 points. Total = 40 points.
Picture this: I’m just nine weeks old, stuffed into this car seat, where I seem to be spending more and more time lately. I’m growing
like nobody’s business, so soon I’ll be out of this thing. Already they’ve got me dressed up like a little man—I’m rocking the lightblue hat with the floppy rim, the light-green pants, and the light-purple shirt with the tiny giraffes on the chest. I’m like the king of
pastels. What I would do for one of those cool baby T’s with the AC/DC logos on it, only it says AB/CD on it (how clever is that!)—
my daddy almost bought me one, but my mommy thinks they’re cheesy. So, everywhere it’s giraffes, giraffes, giraffes—stuffed
giraffes, giraffes sewn on my clothes, giraffes attached to springs that hang from my bassinette. Maybe one day I’ll see a real giraffe
at the Philadelphia zoo nearby, or even in some far off place. For now my life is like an urban safari—I’m surrounded by monkeys
and bears and unidentifiable wildlife. Truth is, I’m content, despite the constraints—literally: with these straps over my shoulders and
buckle at my crotch, you’d think I was going on a rocket ship, or at least on a rollercoaster. But word is, we’re just heading out for our
evening walk. If I’m lucky, Daddy will do his whole “Isn’t it amazing” bit, where he looks at this, that, and everything, and says,
“Isn’t it amazing, Bud?” Here we go, I can feel the rumbling under me. And there goes Daddy: “Look at the tree, Bud. Isn’t it
amazing? Isn’t everything so amazing?” I have to admit. It is.
#3. 2 Parent Anecdotes and Reflection Paragraph (three paragraphs total)
—Anecdote—a brief account of an interesting or humorous experience
—See “Bobby,” chapter one, Michael Cunningham’s A Home at the End of the World.
—Write in first-person POV
—Paragraph one: start with “Picture this…” then proceed in present tense (for the first
anecdote/paragraph), creating a sense of immediacy; include both a parent and yourself
(“Picture this: I am six years old, swinging in the kitchen, one hand on the counter and
the other on a chair. My mother warns me, just as the chair’s legs shoot out from underneath it.
My arms buckle, and my head slams down on the corner of the table, my cheekbone splitting like
an immature piece of fruit….”)
—Use vivid concrete detail
—Paragraph two: write an anecdote in past tense, and include the same parent and yourself;
this anecdote must relate thematically or aesthetically to the first anecdote/pagraph
(i.e. there is some consistent behavior or pattern).
—Do not begin with “Picture this,” and do not write in present tense; but, still, use vivid concrete
detail and lively narrative voice (“Last fall my mother and I drove north to Lewisburg, on a quest
to find…”)
—Paragraph three: then write…a personal reflection NOW; consider possible effect(s) on
you…influence on you…; possible personal behavior inherited…lesson learned… (Ex. “I see,
now, looking back, that my mother and I have always…”)
#4. Read three student essays: Suzanne Vogel’s, Jeff Smith’s, and Mike Duffy’s
—about ½-page-paragraph for each essay—includes the following:
—the name of the author and the title of the essay
—whether the essay was inspired by a specific other person, personal experience, or personal
opinion/observation of the world.
—summary or quotation of the “thesis,” or central idea of the essay
—a summary of two or three key anecdotes/vivid details that illustrate the author’s central idea, or
the development of it
—in a fourth paragraph, explain which essay is your favorite…and why
#5. Rant—pick a topic that you’re passionate about (something that makes you angry, afraid, confused…)
—attention-grabbing phrase opener: “Have you ever noticed…?” or “You know what bugs me?”
—write a one-page rant, or “complaint,” perhaps with a humorous tone
PERSONAL ESSAY / NARRATIVE : Write a 2-3 page, typed, double-spaced, printed-out essay.
You may write about a person and/or experience that has had a significant impact on your life.
Consider the various class readings as models for how you might approach the assignment. See
“Essay Qualities to Consider” for a list of elements you should strive to include.