Personal Narrative Due FRIDAY 10/15

Writing Assignment #1
Personal Narrative Essay


Who Am I? & How Has the World Shaped Me?           
I am who I am today because of…

This personal narrative will ask you to demonstrate your development in descriptive writing, your understanding of narrative writing conventions, as well as deep investigation and reflection about your identity.  You will answer the two questions listed above through storytelling and description.


Personal Narrative Essay Assignment:

• Develop a clear purpose/message for your narrative that directly addresses the prompts above.  What do you want readers to know about you overall after reading your narrative?

• Your narrative should begin with the phrase I am who I am today because of... You will complete this phrase by identifying which part of your identity has played the most critical role in shaping who you are.

• You must select at least one specific story that illustrates your claim – what experience(s) would best “prove” how this part of your identity has been so important?  Think about using one or more of your Parallel Writings – that is why they were assigned.

• Demonstrate your growth as a descriptive writer using Show, Don’t Tell writing that includes at least one simile, metaphor, personification, and alliteration.

• Include 5 paragraphs, following the traditional academic essay structure: Introduction, 1st Body, 2nd Body, 3rd Body, Conclusion.

Oral Presentation:
You should write your narrative knowing it is a public document.  Part of the assignment is an oral presentation of your narrative.  Every student will read his/her narrative out loud to the class.  The purpose of this is to demonstrate the link between writing and speaking and, more importantly, is to help you answer the EQ for the Exhibition: How Am I Connected to the People Around Me? 

The oral presentations of the narratives will begin on the due date of the 3rd Draft (10/15) and will continue until all class members have read.  Failure to read the narrative aloud to the class will result in an incomplete grade for this assignment.