Personal+Narrative

 ** A very important note!: 2 paragraphs of the narrative essay that I uploaded in Turnitin.com was reversed in order for some reason. Other than the 2 paragraphs that were just reversed in order, everything is the same in the final draft that I uploaded here. **

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 wiki page) What creative strategy does the author use to begin the story? I visualized some of the events that were actually taking place as I was writing the story. I thought it would be good to start with since that is where I got the inspiration for my story from. 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? first-person What are the key details in the story? how "disgusting" a cucumber is How does the author leave the reader thinking?

Part II: Prewriting (post on your wiki page)
List 5 events of significance in your life. 1. eating the cucumber 2. moving to Canada 3. my first boarding summer camp 4. hearing something that I was not supposed to hear over a phone call 5. a suspension in 6th grade

List 5 moments that last no more than 5 minutes where you had an aha or you didn't realize at the time the significance. 1. a fight with my bus buddy 2. hitting my brother 3. when I cried about the thought of how life would be if I was an ajuma (housemaid & nanny) and then later turned to a conclusion that I will join UNICEF when I grow up...(basically feeling sorry for the poor) 4. my friend who helped me during when I was in extreme sorrow (motivated me to help other friends as well when they are in trouble) 5. I heard a phone call from my dad's phone that my mom's phone called (but her phone was downstairs and no one was there to call!) It totally scared me and I almost had a belief in the existence of ghosts, superstition, and etc. (a mystery) :O

Choose two of those events and free write for 4-6 minutes about each of them. Choose one of the events and add setting and dialogue.

Choose an event (either the ones you brainstormed with or another one) and answer the following questions: What is the thesis?

What is the significance (one sentence)?

What is the setting? A typical Korean elementary school recess, with kids eating the school prepared meal in their own desks of the classroom, going out to play after they eat. To be exact, the spring of 2003 Write one sentence or phrase for each of the senses (taste, touch, smell. . .) -The green, cactus looking organism -the unpleasant succulence that oozed out of the first small bite that I took was unbearable - the fishy, sour smell of the plant -the noxious feeling along with the stomach grumbling

Start writing.



Organization
 * Part III: Draft 1: (300 - 600 words)**

Introduction -- (maybe)
 * attention grabbing statement (dialogue, startling statement, question, quotation)
 * introduce the focus of the paper - change or idea learned
 * establish the narrative POV - 1st person
 * thesis should be the last sentence of this paragraph

Body Paragraphs (or you could start in the middle of the story and then back up to an introductory line)
 * begin telling the story (narrative) of change or idea learned
 * include specific events that caused the change
 * focus on showing not telling

Conclusion (might be several paragraphs)
 * reflect on how you changed or what you learned
 * explain WHY the change or idea learned is significant
 * end with with something for the reader to ponder

Make sure your narrative essay included the following:
 * 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, plus use of the senses)
 * 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?

Examples: Narrative essays from Newsweek

**Part IV: Revising**
Under construction...