Narrative Essay Visit to New York
Choose a topic that enables you to tell a short, interesting personal story. Your story can be funny, suspenseful, meaningful, or exciting, but it must focus on one event.
Choose one event (e.g., an afternoon you spent bicycling on an island, or your first taste of smoked herring, or your visit to the childhood home of Hans Christian Anderson) and tell a detailed story that focuses on that event.
Answers the following reflection questions:
1. Which narrative techniques did you use to bring your story to life? (2-3 sentences) Did you use vivid description, sensory details, and/or dialogue to engage readers? Provide two examples from your essay in which you “show” readers rather than “tell” them.
2. How did your purpose and audience shape the way in which you wrote your narrative? (3-4 sentences) Your hypothetical audience extends beyond the people who will evaluate your narrative. Which individuals or groups were you addressing when you wrote your narrative, and how did consideration of your audience and your purpose influence the way in which you wrote it?
3. Provide a concrete example from your narrative that shows how you have written specifically for this audience and purpose. (3-5 sentences) Consider including a quotation from your essay and explaining how it was written to appeal to your audience, and to accomplish your purpose. Describe a theme, tone, or narrative technique that you used and explain how it was intended to appeal to your audience and achieve your purpose.
