The Narrative Essay Assignment

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The Narrative Essay Assignment
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Creative Writing vs. Academic Writing

• Creative writing
• Strives for beauty, art
• Tries to capture interest
• Uses flowing/creative language
• Judged by literary standards
• Read for personal enjoyment

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But . . .

• Academic writing
• Has a goal (to persuade, inform, recommend, etc.)
  
• Places emphasis on information, not beauty
• Audience reads for information

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• This course focuses on academic writing (essay
  writing).
• However, the narrative essay mixes creative
  writing features and academic writing features.
• Note Love creative writing? Consider a
  creative writing class at BC!

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Is a narrative essay different from other essays?

• A narrative is like other essays
• Still uses hamburger form
• An introduction
• Examples
• A conclusion
• Still needs a thesis statement

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• A narrative is different from other essays
• Tells a story
• Has characters, setting, conflict
• May have dialogue
• Is about YOU

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• The narrative is still an essay, but it is the
  most creative assignment we will discuss in this
  course.

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To have a narrative, you must include the
following
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1 - A Conflict/Action

• If there isnt conflict or action, you dont have
  a story that will keep your readers attention.
• Note When you look at the student sample
  narrative essay, see if you can find the central
  conflict/point of action.

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Potential Conflicts/Action

• First driving experience
• A car wreck
• First day of school
• Evacuating from a storm
• Losing/Finding something
• Meeting someone
• A first experience

• Skydiving experience
• A bad vacation
• A bad experience with a pet
• A surfing lesson that went poorly
• A good day fishing
• A bad date
• Losing a loved one

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2 Narrowed Conflict (is One Specific Moment in
Time)

• As with any topic, make sure your focus is very
  narrow. For example, you cant write an essay
  about your entire freshman year of high school or
  a week-long vacation.
• Like an idea but its
• too large?
• Cut it!

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3 Characters, Setting

• Make your story come alive! Add characters and
  lots of description so your reader connects with
  your narrative. You might even add dialogue.

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4 Is Focused on YOU

• I always have students who ask if they can write
  their narrative about someone else. Please write
  about yourself.

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Narrative Examples

• Ready to see a few narrative essay examples?
• Reread the student essay Skydive!
• Read Momma the Dentist and Me in your
  Resourceful Reader.
• Read the student essay A Second Date is out of
  the Question

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Recap

• A narrative essay needs
• Conflict/Point of action
• Conflict/action that only covers 1 moment in time
  (narrowed topic)
• Includes characters, setting
• Focus on you