The Narrative Essay!The Narrative Essay!

88thth Grade Grade

Narrative EssaysNarrative EssaysToday we are going to start Today we are going to start

thinking about the next thinking about the next essay that you will write…essay that you will write…the narrative essay! These the narrative essay! These essays fall into the essays fall into the expository category. expository category.

Narrative essays are much Narrative essays are much easier for some people to easier for some people to write because you are write because you are telling about something, telling about something, not just arguing a point. not just arguing a point.

Narrative EssaysNarrative Essays In a narrative essay, In a narrative essay,

you relate a personal you relate a personal experience or tell a experience or tell a story.story.

You tell stories all the You tell stories all the time: to your friends, to time: to your friends, to your teachers, to your your teachers, to your parents and other parents and other relatives.relatives.

When you tell a story, When you tell a story, you relate an you relate an experience to others. experience to others.

Narrative EssaysNarrative Essays

Basically, a narrative Basically, a narrative essay tells a story or essay tells a story or relates a personal relates a personal experience. experience.

You are telling the You are telling the reader a story about reader a story about yourself. yourself.

So, what do I need to So, what do I need to know about a narrative know about a narrative essay? essay?

Narrative EssaysNarrative Essays

Narrative Essays need a number of Narrative Essays need a number of different things to be effective.different things to be effective.A beautiful beginning that hooks the reader in.A beautiful beginning that hooks the reader in.Has a lot of elaboration with details (it needs Has a lot of elaboration with details (it needs

to paint a picture!)to paint a picture!)Has reactions and feelings throughout the Has reactions and feelings throughout the

piece.piece.Uses dialogueUses dialogueHas a zinger at the end for an effective Has a zinger at the end for an effective

closing. closing. Uses A TON of good transitions! Uses A TON of good transitions!

Narrative Essays! Narrative Essays!

In addition, a narrative In addition, a narrative essay needs three essay needs three basic parts: a basic parts: a beginning, a middle, beginning, a middle, and an end. and an end.

A narrative essay can A narrative essay can be easy to write if you be easy to write if you break it down into break it down into paragraphs.paragraphs.

A basic narrative will A basic narrative will go like this: go like this:

I.I. IntroductionIntroductionI.I. Beautiful BeginningBeautiful BeginningII.II. Preview what you are going to talk about “This was my favorite trip because Preview what you are going to talk about “This was my favorite trip because

we did so many cool things and, of course, my sister ending up in the River we did so many cool things and, of course, my sister ending up in the River was a priceless childhood moment!” was a priceless childhood moment!”

II.II. Paragraph one: What led up to the event. THE BEGINNING! Paragraph one: What led up to the event. THE BEGINNING! I.I. Background: Why did you do this? Did someone make you? Were you Background: Why did you do this? Did someone make you? Were you

going on a trip? What was the trip there like? Tell me how the story going on a trip? What was the trip there like? Tell me how the story started! started!

II.II. Details, reactions, quotesDetails, reactions, quotesIII.III. Paragraph two: What you did. THE MIDDLE! Paragraph two: What you did. THE MIDDLE!

I.I. What did you do when you got there? What happened? Did someone get What did you do when you got there? What happened? Did someone get hurt? Do something funny? hurt? Do something funny?

II.II. Details, reactions, quotes! Details, reactions, quotes! IV.IV. Paragraph three: What was the result THE ENDParagraph three: What was the result THE END

I.I. What happened? Did you get into trouble? How did you end the What happened? Did you get into trouble? How did you end the adventure? adventure?

II.II. Details, reactions, quotesDetails, reactions, quotesV.V. Conclusion: What you learned. Tie up your story. Conclusion: What you learned. Tie up your story.

I.I. What did you learn by doing/going? Did you have fun? Would you do it What did you learn by doing/going? Did you have fun? Would you do it again? Recap where you went and what you did! again? Recap where you went and what you did!

II.II. End with a ZINGER! End with a ZINGER!

Every Narrative…Every Narrative…

Must have a conflict, a rising action, and a Must have a conflict, a rising action, and a climax! After all, you are telling a story! climax! After all, you are telling a story!

Narrative EssaysNarrative Essays

The key to writing a The key to writing a great narrative essay great narrative essay is to: is to: Tell a complete storyTell a complete story Make sure to put in a lot Make sure to put in a lot

of details. of details. Entertain the reader! Entertain the reader! STAY IN STAY IN

CHRONOLOGICAL CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER! ORDER!

Transitions, transitions, Transitions, transitions, transitions!!!transitions!!!

Narrative ExampleNarrative ExampleMindy DeckardMindy Deckard

8th Grade English8th Grade EnglishNarrative Essay Narrative Essay

1st Quarter1st QuarterEverything Is Going Wrong!Everything Is Going Wrong!

Have you ever had one of those days where Have you ever had one of those days where everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, goes wrong? everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, goes wrong? I have a great example of just such a day. If you I have a great example of just such a day. If you could imagine it, it happened-from my Chihuahua could imagine it, it happened-from my Chihuahua getting sick on my favorite jacket to missing the bus getting sick on my favorite jacket to missing the bus to my parents literally forgetting me at school! Some to my parents literally forgetting me at school! Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed; this was one days it just doesn’t pay to get out of bed; this was one of those days! of those days!

My crummy day started splendidly, and I My crummy day started splendidly, and I mean that sarcastically, when my alarm clock mean that sarcastically, when my alarm clock buzzed annoyingly at 6:30. That might not seem buzzed annoyingly at 6:30. That might not seem like a bad start to the morning until you realize that like a bad start to the morning until you realize that I did not actually hear my clock until 7:10. What a I did not actually hear my clock until 7:10. What a way to start a day! I raced into the bathroom and way to start a day! I raced into the bathroom and took what had to be the fastest shower known to took what had to be the fastest shower known to man. Then I bounded back to my room, only to man. Then I bounded back to my room, only to come upon the next disaster. My Chihuahua, come upon the next disaster. My Chihuahua, Paco, had gotten sick on my favorite jacket-the one Paco, had gotten sick on my favorite jacket-the one I was going to wear to school that day. Since I I was going to wear to school that day. Since I hadn’t put my clothes in the wash the morning hadn’t put my clothes in the wash the morning before, the only thing I had clean was a pair of before, the only thing I had clean was a pair of bright red pants and a green polo shirt. “Yeah,” I bright red pants and a green polo shirt. “Yeah,” I said sarcastically to myself, “I am going to look like said sarcastically to myself, “I am going to look like a great big Christmas tree in the middle of a great big Christmas tree in the middle of February!” No time to worry, though. I was already February!” No time to worry, though. I was already too late for breakfast and, if I didn’t get a move on too late for breakfast and, if I didn’t get a move on now, I was going to miss my bus. now, I was going to miss my bus.

Unfortunately, my day didn’t get any better Unfortunately, my day didn’t get any better at school. In leaving for school that morning, I at school. In leaving for school that morning, I forgot to grab my algebra assignment. This was forgot to grab my algebra assignment. This was especially bad because my algebra teacher, especially bad because my algebra teacher, Mrs. Richardson, never, EVER took work late. Mrs. Richardson, never, EVER took work late. “Great, just great,” I muttered to myself as I “Great, just great,” I muttered to myself as I jammed my coat, my bag, and what I could fit of jammed my coat, my bag, and what I could fit of my softball gear in my locker. However, that my softball gear in my locker. However, that was also just the beginning. During the day, I was also just the beginning. During the day, I was late to not one, but three classes. The was late to not one, but three classes. The lunch featured tuna surprise-the surprise being lunch featured tuna surprise-the surprise being that it was actually considered food! Then, that it was actually considered food! Then, halfway through seventh hour, I realized that I halfway through seventh hour, I realized that I had forgotten to set the VCR to record my had forgotten to set the VCR to record my favorite television show, “Beverly Hills 90210” favorite television show, “Beverly Hills 90210” which was on while I was at softball practice. which was on while I was at softball practice. The day was going from bad to worse in a hurry!The day was going from bad to worse in a hurry!

To top off a great ending to a fabulous To top off a great ending to a fabulous day, sarcastically speaking, I was dead tired at day, sarcastically speaking, I was dead tired at the end of softball practice. My arms were killing the end of softball practice. My arms were killing me and my knee hurt from being in the catcher’s me and my knee hurt from being in the catcher’s position for what seemed like two solid hours. I position for what seemed like two solid hours. I grabbed my gear from the locker room and grabbed my gear from the locker room and trudged to the door. However, when I got there, trudged to the door. However, when I got there, I realized something very important. My parents I realized something very important. My parents had forgotten to pick me up! I was going to have had forgotten to pick me up! I was going to have to walk home from school with a mountain of to walk home from school with a mountain of homework and my softball gear! “Great, just homework and my softball gear! “Great, just great,” I said to myself. I ended up walking great,” I said to myself. I ended up walking home the whole way-all two miles. My Mom told home the whole way-all two miles. My Mom told me that she just forgot that I had practice. You me that she just forgot that I had practice. You would have thought that my absence would have would have thought that my absence would have been a clue-but no. I decided then and there to been a clue-but no. I decided then and there to make it a short night and go to bed early. It was make it a short night and go to bed early. It was the least I could do to get out of this blasted day! the least I could do to get out of this blasted day!

Needless to say, that April day was Needless to say, that April day was probably one of the most aggravating, probably one of the most aggravating, horrible days of my life. Everything from horrible days of my life. Everything from my alarm clock ringing on was horrible! I my alarm clock ringing on was horrible! I learned a lot about that day, looking back. learned a lot about that day, looking back. I learned that your alarm clock can be I learned that your alarm clock can be cruel, your dog can be too gross for words, cruel, your dog can be too gross for words, and if something can go wrong, it will on and if something can go wrong, it will on certain days. However, I know that, more certain days. However, I know that, more than anything else, I NEVER want to have than anything else, I NEVER want to have another day like that ever again! another day like that ever again!

What happens if I can’t think of anything to What happens if I can’t think of anything to write? write? No one is actually going to check your story to make No one is actually going to check your story to make

sure it is factual. sure it is factual. However, the key is to make it believable. That However, the key is to make it believable. That

means, even if the prompt is really unusual, make it means, even if the prompt is really unusual, make it sound like it actually did happen. sound like it actually did happen.

For example, if I ask you what your favorite field trip For example, if I ask you what your favorite field trip was, don’t answer “to the moon.” Say “King’s Island” was, don’t answer “to the moon.” Say “King’s Island” or Wrigley Field instead…at least that is believable. or Wrigley Field instead…at least that is believable.

Remember…Remember… You are graded onYou are graded on

Staying on topic the whole Staying on topic the whole time (talk about one trip, time (talk about one trip, one event, one day…don’t one event, one day…don’t “chase kangaroos!”)“chase kangaroos!”)

Support/Elaboration (Give Support/Elaboration (Give a lot of details…you are a lot of details…you are telling this story to telling this story to someone…they want to someone…they want to know what happened!)know what happened!)

Organization (Make sure Organization (Make sure your story has a beginning, your story has a beginning, a middle, and an end!)a middle, and an end!)

Conventions (After all, this Conventions (After all, this is an English class!)is an English class!)