English 28
Yablon 1
Narrative Writing Essay
Okay folks, here we're talking about what comes naturally to every human being
-- perhaps it's what makes us human beings -- and that's the ability and desire to tell
stories.
By now, you should have read the section on narrative writing in your textbook.
Additionally, you should have read the other reading selections assigned for today’s
class. Each selection tells an interesting story that is filled with the appropriate level and
amount of detail, arranged in a sensible order and grabs the reader by being
entertaining and touching, if not downright thought-provoking. They are all good
examples for your entertainment, contemplation and reference.
Now, you're going to write your own story, in the form of a narrative essay.
Remember that when writing narration, you should be aware of the following:
1.
Be aware of the conflict involved -- that's what makes stories interesting. The
types of conflicts usually used include a) an internal conflict within a person's
heart or mind; b) a conflict between two or more people; or c) a conflict between
a person and some larger outside force such as nature, society, fate, etc.
2.
Be aware of the point of your narrative. That is, what is the meaning or
significance of what you're saying? Are you trying to educate, ridicule, entertain,
or what?
3.
Develop the details that help you tell the story you want to tell. Leave out all of
the unnecessary stuff and concentrate only on that which helps you.
4.
Organize your narrative sensibly. You can tell it in strict chronological order (first
1, then 2, then 3). Or, you may want to start the action somewhere in the middle
and fill in some of the background information via flashbacks. Don't forget that
you can also use flash-forwards, essentially, to start at the end result and then
retrace the steps it took to get there.
5.
Be aware of your language. Use logical, sensible transition statements that
indicate time relationships, such as afterward, then, during, next, etc. Of course,
active verbs -- that are interesting -- are preferable to passive verbs, especially if
they're dull. Please use sensory language in your writing. However, be aware
that sensory descriptions slow down narration. So unless your purpose
demands it, limit the amount of sensory language used at any given time. Use
dialogue. Period. It makes for interesting stories to actually hear people speak
to each other. And, lastly, keep in mind that your narrative point of view (in terms
of person and time/tense) needs to be kept consistent throughout your story.
You may use either first or third person narrative, and although you may use
present tense, I personally would suggest using past tense to tell a story. It's
easier.
English 28
Yablon 2
Your assignment is to write a narrative paper that addresses only one of
the following topics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Your first romantic experience or your first, best or worst date
An incredible but true story
An emergency that brought out the best or worst in you
An event or revelation that changed your life
A memorable childhood experience, perhaps the first time you did
something
A funny experience that happened to you or you were involved in
A significant family event, or something that may be “famous” or
“infamous”
Your first day at a new job or at a new place
A funny, scary, adventurous, exciting experience that you have had
All papers must have the following characteristics:
1) Double-spaced
2) Use a sans-serif font such as Ariel or Helvetica
3) 12 point height (neither less nor more)
4) Follow consistent MLA formatting
5) A hard copy delivered to the instructor (no disks/emails/excuses)
6) Length: two to three pages
7) Identified as to type of paper being submitted (“Narrative Paper”)
8) Given an appropriate title (not a label such as “narrative paper”)
Papers that do not follow these guidelines will not be read or graded –
especially the MLA formatting!
You may write on any one topic, but only one. Of course your narrative essay
may not follow the standard rules of writing essays (i.e., topic sentences, etc.) but it
should be clearly organized and highly detailed. Of course, it should be highly
descriptive. You may describe any of these topics in either a serious manner or a
humorous manner. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please discuss
them with me as soon as possible. Good luck.
[File: Narrative Essay Assignment.doc]