PN+Christine

=The Narrative Essay (aka Personal Narrative)=


 * Your writing task**: Your assignment is to write a narrative about a formative moment in your life that somehow defined who you are (the event changed you or you learned about an important idea). You must include several paragraphs that reflect on how you changed or what did you learned, and WHY it is significant.

**Part I: Examining an example: "A Shirt Full of Bees"**
Points to contemplate:
 * a narrative tells a story
 * a narrative has a point (aka - a thesis)
 * a narrative focuses on key moments and quickly deals with necessary, but uninteresting information
 * a narrative uses a consistent POV (1st or 3rd)
 * a narrative is rich in detail (that is, important/significant/interesting detail)
 * a narrative includes an interesting/creative introduction
 * a narrative includes a conclusion that leaves the reader thinking
 * a narrative essay includes several paragraphs that reflect on WHY the event described is important
 * How did you change? What did you learn? WHY is it significant?

"A Shirt Full of Bees" Questions: (post answers on your PN wiki page) What creative strategy does the author use to begin the story? He starts out the story with another story (anecdote). What is the point (or thesis) of the narrative? "I'm outside but I'm inside." People are trapped in their own bubble, or consumer culture, and they don't recognize what is important. What is 'the moment' on which the author focuses? When he gets stung by the wasp. What events are not central to the story and 'disappear in the puff of a sentence'? (It's necessary information, but detail is not needed.) What is the POV? What are the key details in the story? How does the author "leave the reader thinking"?

**Part II: Prewriting (post on your PN wiki page)**

 * Assignment**: Your assignment is to write a narrative about a formative moment in your life that somehow defined who you are (the event changed you or you learned about an important idea). You must include several paragraphs that reflect on how you changed, what did you learned, and WHY is it significant.

Directions: Fill in the information below as completely as possible.

I'm demonstrating the lesson I learned that my sister is actually softhearted deep inside, and not as strong and brave as she seems to be.
 * Purpose:**

Mr. Stephens and my classmates
 * Audience:**

On that day, I finally saw the real side of my sister that was hidden before--her weak and soft personality.
 * Thesis:**

Looks like: female, short, small, straight brownish-black hair, young Age: 11 Motivation / Objective: to find my sister and help her leave Korea on time
 * Description of Character** (this is you)

Where does the narrative take place? airport When does the narrative take place? at age 11
 * Setting:**

-Our family is in the airport, waiting for my sister's flight back to her boarding school in Canada. -My sister goes to the bathroom. -Time passes, and she doesn't return. Her cellphone is also off. -Everyone gets worried and starts to look for her. -After a long time, my mother finds her in a restroom. -My sister starts to sob, saying that she doesn't want to go back to Canada. -She has a long conversation with my dad, and he decides not to make her go. -I see the weak side of her for the first time. -She cancels her flight, and we go back to our house peacefully.
 * Plot:**

The major problem in the story is that my sister hides from our family. When we finally find her, another problem rises; she doesn't want to leave Korea. From her behavior and words, I realize that she isn't the strong sister that I've always thought her as.
 * Conflict:**

-When my family is searching for my sister. -When my sister cries out loud and confesses her feelings.
 * Dialogue:**

-sight: descriptions of the airport and my sister -sounds: aiport and my sister crying -movement: how my family searches for her
 * Sensory Details:**

From this incidence, I learned that my sister has fears, too, just like me. Before, I thought of her as a strong, independent, and unafraid person, because I never saw weaknesses inside her. This lesson I learned is very significant, because even nowadays when my sister tries to pretend to be a powerful and bold person, I know that she is actually very warm inside. I understand my sister better after this event.
 * Reflection / Analysis section**: //(this section is critical)//

I think I should focus on the introduction and conclusion. I'm thinking about how I should make the lead more catchy and interesting. My ending isn't that provoking, and I'm not sure what to write for my last sentence. Besides the beginning and ending, I also need to work on my word choice. Right now, my personal narrative doesn't have a lot of strong sensory words. It would be great if I had more literary devices as well as more descriptions that help the readers visualize my story.
 * Reflection #1: After reviewing the requirements and completing today's revising, on what areas do you still need to focus? **