Basic Features of a
Remembered Event Essay
Basic Features:
Remembering an Event
A Well-Told Story
 The story in the essay should arouse curiosity
and suspense, structure the narrative around
conflict, build to a climax, and lead to a change or
discovery of some kind
 It must be set in a specific time and place, and use
dialogue effectively
 Readers should be able to empathize or identify
with the narrator and understand his or her point
of view
Basic Features:
Remembering an Event
Vivid Description of People and Places
 Specific details in the essay describe what people
look like, how they dress, gesture, and talk
 Sensory images show what the narrator saw,
heard, smelled, touched, and tasted
Basic Features:
Remembering an Event
Autobiographical Significance
To make a point, the essay should include:
 Feelings and thoughts from the time the event
took place
 Reflections on the past from the present
perspective
 Details and words chosen to create a dominant
impression