ENGL101 – Jewell – Timed Writing Practice
For this final writing exercise of the quarter, you may have a printed dictionary (not electronic) on your desk, but nothing
else. I will be grading you essay based on how well you respond to the prompt, whether you make and support an
arguable claim, the specificity of your references to the text, and the clarity of your writing.
Maya Angelou’s “Graduation” uses narrative to discuss the expectations of and for students at Lafayette County Training
School. How does the order in which she relates the background information and events of her story contribute to the
meaning of the essay? In what ways does the order manipulate the emotions of the reader? Why might Angelou have
chosen the narrative form to relate this story, as opposed to exposition? Was it an effective choice?
Your answer should be approximately 400 words long – about four to five sides of a handwritten page, double-spaced. Be
sure to address the question directly and to keep your focus on it throughout your essay. (A good idea is to quote
important words from the question in the beginning of your essay.) Always support what you say with specific details.