Literacy Narrative Essay
Purpose: When we hear the terms “literacy narrative” we are used to thinking about it in terms of a “made-up story.” But,keep in mind, not all stories are in fact fictional. You won’t be writing a “short story” fictional story, but rather your own,personal nonfiction narrative (so first-person perspective: I, me, my both welcomed/encouraged & slang-but notunnecessarily/abused). This narrative will be used to explain or expand the reader’s ideas/ prove a point. Remember to goback through Chapter 17 & read tips on pgs. 366-369 regarding Writing an Effective Narrative Essay. Also, look back atthe Narrative essays we’ve already covered as models: “Auntie Jean” pgs. 375-377, “Tupac & My Non-Thug Life,”“Salvation” 668-669, “My Dad Tried to Kill Me With an Alligator,” “Richard,” or “I Was Pregnant & Then I Wasn’t,”along with any other examples you may wish to consult. The narrative essay should be written as a story instead of aninformative or research-based approach. Do NOT research/ no Works Cited page. See my example (though I went over alittle on page/word count. You must stick to ~800 words (FULL 3 pages). Mine was ~6 pages as my blog (edit/cut forlength requirement). If it seems “cut,” awkward in parts, that was the reason.Each of those Narratives have the 6 effective Narrative essay elements, as should yours (use this as your check-list):1.They have a purpose ✅2.They are clear ✅3.Logical time sequence *unless you have in fact created/participated in time-travel ;)*✅4.Sensory details (though not overused): sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell *show don’t tell* Help us “see” thestory as it unfolds; remember to paint the picture, without “telling” readers things in a boring way! Use thisresource to help inspire further! ✅5.They are authentic: Write for an audience of your peers (Contractions, slang, colloquialisms, clichés, andcursing are all acceptable, but avoid preaching as much as possible- second-person perspective “you”). ✅6.Any dialogue is meaningful (keep in mind cultural sensitivities/tone-while also making it “real” to you/your life
