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Narrative Memory Snapshot Essay Language Arts: Ms. CochrenChoose a photograph that brings back a vivid memory. The photograph can be of you at any age (or of the whole family) or other significant person, a pet, a vacation, an important event, a special place, etc. Your task will be to create a written snapshot which captures your photograph in words and makes your reader feel as if he or she was there. Use the magic camera of your pen to zoom in on your subject and bring your story to life.The best memory snapshots will include rich, descriptive words so that the reader can experience what you did! Also, dialogue will bring your picture to life. You will be writing an autobiographical narrative about your memory snapshot. An autobiographical narrative focuses on a specific time and event that directly involves you. Your goal is not to tell about the event but to show what happened by dramatizing the event. You may write in present tense, as if your incident were happening now, or in past tense, to describe your incident as a recollection. Your written memory snapshot will have a setting that leaves the reader with a dominant visual impression, a plot or story line, and characters. However, the nature of your memory may cause you to place your emphasis on one of these elements more than the others. Remember to bring your snapshot to life by showing about yourself or other characters through their gestures, expressions, and movement. You can “show” about a character through their dialogue, thoughts, effects on others, actions, and looks. For example, instead of just telling that you were proud, show it through description of your expression and movement…show it by creating good dialogue…show it by what your actions. In your memory snapshot paper:Start your paper with a hook or lead that grabs the reader’s attention.Describe the setting. Use rich descriptive words (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell) to help the reader create a mental picture of what you are describing. Think about how an author might introduce the setting in a story. Look at some examples in your text book! Introduce the reader to the characters in your photograph. Give the people, pets, or others in your photograph personality traits. Show the traits through indirect characterization: Speech, Thoughts, Effects on Others, Actions, and Looks. Show the reader what you or others in the photograph were doing at the time the photograph was taken. Think of your writing as a movie camera. Use strong verbs so we can see movement and action.Include dialogue. Finally, close by explaining why this memory is still so vivid in your mind. Why is this memory important to you?Your snapshot should use correct spelling, punctuation and sentence structure. It should follow the rules for dialogue.Create the story for your picture! Have fun bringing your snapshot to life!Memory Snapshot EssayMy picture is of __________________________________________________________________________________________________________The setting of the picture is __________________________________________________________________________________________________________I could see__________________________________________________________________________________________________________I could smell__________________________________________________________________________________________________________I could hear__________________________________________________________________________________________________________This memory is important or vivid to me because _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The story my picture can tell is _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Beginning Your Written Memory SnapshotA hook is something that good writers use to capture the attention of their readers. Just as a fisherman uses bait to hook a fish, a writer should “hook” his or her reader’s attention by creating an interesting introduction. There are several strategies for hooking a reader. Type of HookExampleQUOTATIONMy mother always said, “The early bird catches the worm.” But the way I figure it, who wants to catch worms? RIVETING DESCRIPTION Rrrrrringgg! Rrrrriiinnggg! At the sound of my alarm, I willed my arm to crawl out from under the heavy warmth of my covers. In the darkness of the early morning, I groped for the snooze button, thankful for ten more minutes of blissful slumber. DIALOGUE “Sarah, breakfast is ready!” my mother cried from the bottom of the stairs. “I’m coming!” I muttered as I sat up in bed and slowly rubbed my eyes. ANECDOTEI’ll never forget the day my goody-goody brother was sent to wake me up one morning. He says he called my name several times and even gently nudged me. All I remember was the icy cold glass of water that hit my face! QUESTIONAre you one of those people who can’t find anything “good” about mornings? EXCLAMATIONThere is absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing, worse than mornings! STATEMENT OF FACTIt was six o’clock in the morning when I was rudely awakened by the annoying squawking of my neighbor’s loudest chicken. I knew my day was probably not going to get better! Other Hooks and Leads When the writer captures the reader’s attention in the first few sentences, there is a desire to read more!!!!!Begin with interesting dialogue.“Did Mama sing every day?” asked Caleb. “Every single day?” (Patricia MacLachlan, Sarah Plain and Tall)Depict a humorous situation.It’s a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful. (Roald Dahl, Matilda)Create a sense that something important is about to happen.“Where’s Papa going with that axe?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table. (E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web)Start with a sound effect. Ba-room, ba-room, ba-room, baripity, baripity, baripity, baripity—Good. His dad had gotten the pickup going. He could get up now. (Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia) Show a problem the characters are having. One day Grandfather wouldn’t get out of bed. He just lay there and stared at the ceiling and looked sad. (John Reynolds Gardiner, Stone Fox)Describe a place or a feeling. The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the seat of a ferris wheel when it passes in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from the balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. (Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting)Begin at the end to explain how the story came about. One day last spring, Louis, a butcher, turned into a fish. Silvery scales. Big lips. A tail. A salmon. (Arthur Yorinks, Louis the Fish) What can you do to create a story of your snapshot and hook your reader from the beginning? Your photo is like a picture in a text next to the story! Sense of Sound: Vivid Words babble chirpgonglaughraspsputterwhimperbangchucklegossiplecturerattlesquallwhinebarkclackgroanlispravesquawkwhisperbayclamorgrowlmewrecitesqueakwhistlebellowclanggrumblemoanringsquealwhoopblabclinkgruntmumbleripplestammeryapblarecluckgurglemurmurroarswishyellblastcracklehissmutterrumbletapyelpblubbercrashhonkpatterrustlethumpyipboomcreakhootpealscreamthunderyodelbraycroonhowlpeepscreechtickyowlbuzzcrunchhumpluckshriektinklecackledinhushpopshrilltootcawdrawljabberprattleshouttrillchantdronejanglepreachsingtrumpetchatterechojeerpurrsizzletwangcheepfizzjawquacksnarltwittercheergabblejinglerantsnufflewailchimegobbleknockrapsplashwarbleDialogue and Punctuation RulesRULE #1: A direct quotation begins with a capital letter. Jimmy shouted, “See you at the game!” “Is it true?" asked Cindy.?RULE #2: When a quotation is interrupted into two parts with an interrupter dialogue tag (“he asked” or “the teacher demanded”), the second part begins with a lower case letter. “What are some of the things,” Mrs. Baskin inquired, “that make school so much fun?” “One thing I like,” replied Sarah, “is recess!”?RULE #3: When writing dialogue, all punctuation marks at the end of the quotation go inside the quotation marks. End tag: “Let's visit the museum,” suggested Samantha. Starter tag: Jon replied, “Didn't we go there last weekend?” Interrupter tag: “But when we did,” Beth added, “we didn't see the Ancient Egyptian exhibit.”?RULE #4: Do not put a period at the end of a quotation followed by things like she said, mom asked, he explained, etc. Use commas, question marks, and exclamation marks but not periods. Periods end sentences. “My Algebra class is driving me crazy!” Paul yelled. “That's my favorite class,” Becky replied.?RULE #5: Make a new paragraph (indent) when a different person begins to speak. "Last night, I dreamt that I ate a giant marshmallow," Kevin said. "Was that anything like the dream you had about eating your way through a mountain of fruit cocktail?" asked Suzy. "Scarier," Kevin explained. "This time I woke up and my pillow was gone." Sample Memory Snapshot Narrative“I wonder who will get a letter today?” my teammate chirped as we gathered for the coach’s usual Friday mail call where he passed out all of the college recruiting letters to the junior and senior track stars. We sat elbow to elbow, crammed in like sardines, in the girls’ locker room at Laguna Beach High. My forehead was beaded with perspiration from the humidity of the steam from the showers. Why couldn’t we go through this routine outside on the track where we could enjoy the sunshine and cool breeze? “I hear that BYU is looking at Courtney. It’s probably for her. All of the letters are,” I stammered. “Crystal,” I heard my coach bark out. “I believe this is your first letter.” I noticed a knowing smile on his face, and I was puzzled. “Wait. I’m just a sophomore. How can I be getting a letter?” My excitement mounted with every second. My heart thudded loudly until he handed me the letter. I turned it over cautiously in my hands, coming to the front of the envelope’s return address which perplexed me. “International Sports,” I read. “Wait, that’s not a school.” My shoulders dropped and I pursed my lips in confusion. “Why couldn’t it be the name of a prestigious college?” I wondered. I slowly opened the letter and began to skim the words on the printed page. “Dear Ms. Smith, Congratulations, blah, blah, blah.” My lack of enthusiasm quickly began to dissolve as I continued. “You have been selected to represent the United States as one of the country’s finest sophomore athletes in the sport of track and field at the International High School Sports’ Conference.” I paused excitedly, but stifled my enthusiasm since my parents would probably not be able to afford the expenses. I didn’t want to have to explain that to my teammates. I waited impatiently throughout practice and could hardly keep my shaking hands from being noticed. Finally, the seemingly endless practice came to an end. Without changing from my practice clothes, I ran all of the way home. “Mom, Mom, look what coach gave me in the mail today! The United States wants me to represent them in an international meet in Spain! Only 24 athletes were invited to attend this year, and they want ME!” I rambled without taking a breath. My mom burst bustled down the hall and hugged me. “Slow down! Give me all of the details. Let me see your letter,” she quipped. Her eyes lit up as she read it, and her grin turned into a full smile. Later that evening, Mom and Dad knocked on my door. Their looks were grim. I began to hang my head, but then I noticed my Dad’s cheeky grin. “You’re going!” the cheered. “We will make it happen!” I knew then how much my parents were willing to do to make my dreams come true. The honor of participated with other top athletes, coupled with my parents’ never-ending love, made me realize how much my hard work was valued. What do you think this student’s photo might have been? How did she turn her snapshot into a story? ................
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