PN+SamH

=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?

Questions: (post answers on your PN wiki page) What creative strategy does the author use to begin the story? What is the point (or thesis) of the narrative? What is 'the moment' on which the author focuses? 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.

Your purpose is to explain, from your POV, a moment in your life that somehow defined who you are. Be as specific as possible. Focus in on one or two main events that demonstrate the change (or idea learned). What is your specific purpose in this narrative - what change are you demonstrating (or idea learned)? How I wanted to be an actor and my change of heart from machines.
 * Purpose:**

Who is your audience? Mr. Stephens and students
 * Audience:**

In one sentence state the main idea of this story from the 1st person POV. (This is how you changed or what you learned.) My dream of being an actor
 * Thesis:**

Looks like: black curly hair, thin, tall, black eyes, and a faint mustache Age: 15 Motivation / Objective: (What do you want?) I talk about how i changed to like being an actor
 * Description of Character** (this is you)

Where does the narrative take place? School, my house, and brother's military When does the narrative take place? During the weekend at school time
 * Setting:**

In chronological order, list the main events of the story / narrative. **Hint:** focus your narrative on the key moment where the change occurred. 1. My mom pressures me to find a job. 2. I talked with James and Jay about my job. 3. I talked with my parents and my brother. 4. I realized that there are more opportunities then I had known.
 * Plot:**

What is the major problem in the story that produces the change in you? Describe this conflict in several complete sentences. The pressure of having my mom make me pick a job now.
 * Conflict:**

Are there any key moments in the story where dialogue would be effective? List these moments here. When I talk with my mom and big brother about jobs.
 * Dialogue:**

List any sensory details that will be important in your narrative: sight, smells, sounds, tastes, touch, and movement. sight, sounds, and movement
 * Sensory Details:**

How did you change? What did you learn? Why is it significant? I opened myself to other things then just acting. I found out that there are more opportunities. This has given me more thought on a wider base then just that 1 job.
 * Reflection / Analysis section**: //(this section is critical)//