Personal Narrative Essay
North Seattle Community College English Department
ENG 101 JC Clapp
Purpose of this Assignment:

Help students understand the importance of including specific details rather than simply
writing a general description of the experience;

Help students understand how to use vivid, descriptive language to “show” a particular
experience that has meaning;

Help students understand how to pick one moment or aspect of the experience and to
focus on the importance of this specific aspect versus simply recounting a period of time;

Provide students with an opportunity to analyze what their experience means by clearly
telling (or explaining) why the experience is important;

Provide students with the ability to gain insight from or into the topic they are writing
about (e.g. explain your individual insight on love versus a general “love conquers all”
theme).
Description of Assignment:
For this essay, you will use your analytical skills to look carefully at a specific experience you
have had and explore its meaning, specifically focusing on what this experience has made you
realize about your place in society.
Your Specific Tasks: Read Chapter 5 in The Call to Write and then write a 4-5 page essay that
describes, analyzes, and reflects on a personal experience. You need to . . .

Use the first person “I” effectively

Choose a limited and specific experience or conversation that can be developed and
analyzed thoughtfully in only three to five pages. Do not write an autobiography of your
life!

Describe this experience vividly so that readers can understand what happened and will
care about what you have to say about it. In reflecting on the particular experience, show
your readers what it has taught you. Remember to use descriptions of all five senses!

Analyze the experience and consider what it might imply about how people in our
society behave toward one another, what they value, and what assumptions or stereotypes
they may hold consciously or unconsciously. Arrive at the thesis of the essay by
analyzing your experience (asking questions about, taking it apart, deciding what matters,
making meaning from it);

Convey the importance of this experience and ideas that you took away from it by
reflecting and focusing primarily on what this experience has taught you about your
social identity (how you are seen in and valued in society), and not just your individual
identity (personality, likes/dislikes, etc.). This focus on social identity allows you to
express a meaning in this assignment that is relevant socially (to your readers, for
example) and not just to you personally.
The Memo of Self-Reflection: After you’ve finished your essay, write a 2+ page memo of selfreflection that answers the below questions. Attach this memo to your final draft.

How did you choose the experience that you chose to analyze? In retrospect was
it a good choice? Why or why not? Did you choose a limited enough
experience? If not, how might you have focused more?

What was your writing process for this essay? What steps did you take to
complete it? What have you learned about your own process that you can apply
to the next piece of writing you do? How was your writing process similar and/or
different to your process of writing the analysis essay?

What are the strengths and the weakness of your essay? What would you change
if you had more time to work on it?

If you learned anything about yourself during the writing of this essay, please
explain.
Evaluation: Your essay will be graded using the attached grading rubric.
Due Dates:

Rough Draft due on February 1

Revised Draft due for the Peer Review session on February 3rd (bring 2 copies)

Final Draft due on February 6th (don’t forget your memo!)
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