a Narrative Essay, Lecture notes of Voice

Download a Narrative Essay and more Lecture notes Voice in PDF only on Docsity! 1 NARRATIVE ESSAY Characteristics of a Narrative Essay  The purpose is to inform or to tell a story  Writer is a storyteller  Describes a person, scene, or event in detail (emphasis on showing rather than telling)  Information is presented in a chronological order  Written in 1 st person voice (using “I”), somewhat informal  Can include dialogue  Sample focus of the paper: o one’s high school years o a favorite family member WARNING: If the purpose of your writing is not to inform, but rather to analyze something or to persuade a reader about something, it is possible you have wandered into the wrong essay. Please check our other handouts on writing Critical and Persuasive Essays to determine which is the most appropriate for your writing purpose. When writing a paper, you should follow these six steps. This handout guides you through the six steps for writing a Narrative Essay. Step 1. Organizing your Thoughts (Brainstorming) Step 2. Researching your Topic Step 3. Developing a Thesis Statement Step 4. Writing the Introduction Step 5. Writing the Body of the Essay Step 6. Writing the Conclusion Step 1: Organizing your Thoughts (Brainstorming) Believe it or not, there is almost no topic on which your mind will draw a complete blank. Even if you know very little about the subject matter, you are likely to respond based on something you heard or read on the topic/subject, or even your basic values. It is imperative to take an inventory of what you know first. This kind of brainstorming can be done in a number of ways:  Free writing – writing quickly, without stopping, editing, or self-correcting to become aware of what you already know, think, or feel on a topic  Subject tree – related ideas, connecting outwards from the main topic, in a tree form (See illustration 1)  List – free flow of ideas on a topic (See illustration 2) Personal Narrative Tutoring and Testing Center 2  Clustering – main topic is in the middle circle, all related associations are linked to the main topic (See illustration 3)  Outline – framework of an essay, which includes main points, followed by the breakdown into sub-points (See illustration 4) Below are visual illustrations of these brainstorming methods. When using them, simply rely on what you already know on the topic – facts, opinions, emotions, and/or concerns. Subject Tree List Illustration 1 Illustration 2 Cluster Outline Illustration 3 Illustration 4 This is not the time for evaluating your ideas; instead, it is the time for an outpour of ideas on all background knowledge you have on the topic. Once your thoughts are on paper, you can start organizing them by grouping ideas and identifying areas where more information is required. Step 2: Researching your Topic Narrative essays are unique in that research is conducted within the scope of your personal life and experiences. This means that research may consist of utilizing personal artifacts, memorabilia, anecdotes, and conversations. NOTE: The two steps – organization of thoughts and research of the topic – interrelate. In other words, organizing your thoughts may identify gaps in your knowledge, which may lead you to conduct necessary research. However, once you conduct research, you should re-organize your thoughts to evaluate the clarity of the topic. Step 3: Developing a Thesis Statement Changes lives Costly Dangerous Drunk driving Summer Winter Hot Cold Beach Uncomfortable Little clothes Short days Long days Hypothermia Lazy Skiing Sun radiation Layers of clothes Smoking Disease Addiction Costs Hurts family Costs Bad example I. Introduction 1. What is depression 2. Thesis – Depression is a complex condition as evident in its causes/symptoms/treatments II. Body 1. Causes of depression 2. Symptoms of depression 3. Treatments of depression III. Conclusion 1. Why is studying depression important 2. Reiterate causes/symptoms/treatments 3. Consequences of depression