Lesson 14Writing the Narrative Essay

Writing Process Descriptive Essay Narrative Essay

Exemplification Essay Personal Essay

Common Writing

Mistakes

Writer’s Prompt:

• Write a brief story with this opening line:– “I opened the door and I couldn’t believe…”

Assignment

• Read “Graduation” by Maya Angelou, page 23 in Great Writing– Answer Meaning and Idea questions #1 and #2 on

page 132• Narrative Essay

Assignment Review

• Raymond Carver• (May 25, 1938 – August 2,

1988) was an American short story writer and poet.

• Carver is considered a major American writer of the late 20th century and also a major force in the revitalization of the short story in the 1980s.

“My Father’s Life”

• Raymond Carver’s “My Father’s Life”, Page 81 in Great Writing

• (Meaning) #3– Trace the geographic movement of Carver’s father

• (Language) #2– What is the use of dialogue in this essay? How

does it enhance the narration?

Writing the Narrative Essay

The Writing Process

Wonder, think about an idea or subject to write about

Refine the idea and narrow the subject

Initiate the first draft

Time goes by as you set the writing aside

Edit your writing for the final draft

Release your creation to the waiting world

Six Steps to Writing a Narrative Essay

1. Write a thesis statement, just as with any other essay

2. Brainstorm for a personal story or observation that illustrates or proves the thesis statement

3. Outline or web the important parts of the story to be told

4. Write an introductory paragraph that includes the thesis statement, and then write the story

5. Because this is a story, use as many paragraphs as necessary to tell the story

6. Write the conclusion that reflects on the thesis statement

Prewriting the Narrative Essay

• Bounce your brain• Find a story worth telling

– Meaningful to you and to others– A personal experience– A significant emotional event (SEE)

• Always keep your eyes open for stories• Look at life upside down – find the stories in

everyday life.• Keep a notebook of your story ideas

Brainstorming Topics for a Narrative Essay

What are some good topics that lend themselves to narrative essays?

pause

Some ideas…

• The Biggest Lie I Ever Told and Its Consequences• The Weirdest Thing That Ever Happened to Me (or

My Family)• The Best Decision I Ever Made• My Favorite Childhood Memory• A disastrous date• A moment of failure or success• An encounter that changed your life

Prewriting

• Make a timeline – of the events of your story before writing

• Try putting a storyboard together of the events

Car Chase – Story Board Example

Use time transitions

• Before• After• During• First• Next• Second• Then• Finally• while

• Later• At last• Last• Eventually• Meanwhile• Since• Now• Soon• when

The Story Elements

The Story Elements of Cinderella• Setting

– The time and place of the story

• Characters– Who are the people in this story?

• Plot – The sequence of events – the action in the story

• Exposition– The background of the story and its characters

• Conflict– The problem or problems to be solved in the story

• Climax– The most exciting part – the major turning point of the story

• Resolution– The end of the story – the wrapping up of loose ends

7 Classic Plots1. The Quest

– a central protagonist strives to meet an all important and often far off goal. – The Lord of the Rings, Apocalypse Now, Raiders of the Lost Ark

2. Voyage and Return– also based around a journey, as the hero is transported to another world and

then back again– Alice in Wonderland, Gulliver's Travels, Back to the Future, the Wizard of Oz.

3. Rebirth– the protagonist is cast under a dark spell either instigated by himself or an

outside force. The heroes liberation is achieved by the actions of other good forces.

– A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast.

7 Classic Plots

4. Comedy– the characters are thrown into a state of confusion, darkness and

bewilderment where resolution can only come when these constricting factors have been played out to their extremes.

– All’s Well That Ends Well, When Harry Met Sally, Some Like It Hot.

5. Tragedy– an individual goes through a series of actions and decisions that

unwittingly brings about their own downfall. – Tragedy are Hamlet. Carlito’s Way, Macbeth, Oedipus the King.

7 Classic Plots6. Overcoming the Monster

– the hero/heroes must overcome a dark evil creature/person/entity that has exerted an evil destructive force over a place, persons or people.

– The Silence of the Lambs, Dracula, Jaws, Hansel and Gretel.

7. Rags to Riches• In Rags to Riches plots the central character is seemingly plucked from nothing to greatness where he/she is very often rich and of

immense status. In this story type the hero very often gets quick success which is swiftly taken away from him/her. In order for him/her to return to this “rich” state the protagonist must very often defeat a foe of some kind.

• Aladdin, Cinderella, Great Expectations.

Dialogue

• Lines spoken by a character or characters• A conversation between two characters• Bad dialogue is pointless• Good dialogue either provides

characterization or advances the plot

Characterization

• ProtagonistThe main character in the story

• AntagonistThe character or force that opposes the protagonist.

• FoilA character who provides a contrast to the protagonist.

In Class Narrative Practice

Write a story ending with the sentence:

I never saw her again after that.