Helpful Hints for writing a Narrative Essay



Helpful Hints for writing a Narrative EssayElements of SettingPlace - geographical location.? Where is the action of the story taking place? Time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc) Environment-Weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc? Social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story?? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening? Culture- Types of food, clothing, religion, race, etc… Character’s ActionStarting your narrative essay by describing a character’s action is a great way to kick off your essay. Using this technique will drop readers into a story that’s already in progress. You can introduce your readers to a character and a situation in a single sentence.Example:?I held the empty canteen over my mouth and waited patiently for the last drop to roll out.Don’t Tell. Show!It is easy for a writer to say that a character is angry, sad, or a bully, but this is?telling?the reader. Good writers don’t tell readers about characters; they show them. It takes a bit more work to?show?readers your characters. You have to think of behaviors that imply attitudes and emotions. The extra effort that it takes will be worth it.ExamplesTelling: Tom didn’t want to go to school today.Showing: Tom threw his books into his bag, crumpling his half-complete homework; he sighed.Telling: Mike didn’t want to go find the lost puppy.Showing: When Mike’s mother asked him to find the lost puppy, Mike groaned, “Do I have to, Mom?”Telling: Reading was Jay’s favorite class.Showing: Jay waited the whole day to go to reading class and he always smiled when he got there.Writing Toward a Climax?Good stories have climaxes or turning points. This is when the momentum in the story changes from good to bad (or bad to good).? It is when conditions change in such a way that the main character is capable of solving the problem. Good stories have turning points. Readers expect and enjoy these shifts in momentum.?ResolutionGood essays have powerful endings. In your narrative essay, you should use your final paragraph to bring your story to a satisfying conclusion. Unlike persuasive essays, the final paragraph in your narrative essay should not restate.?Here are some good ways to finish your narrative essay:Looking Toward the Future:?A good way to conclude your story is to speculate about what the future may hold. You can discuss how the experience that you shared in your essay could impact the future.Example:?Who knows what the future may hold? I might go back to law school or I might just keep working at Mickey’s. Either way I’ll never forget the time that I won that pie eating contest.Lesson Learned:?Another good way to conclude your essay is to share a lesson that you learned. This way you can demonstrate some thoughtful reflection on the meaning of your life.Example:?After I won the pie eating contest, I couldn’t take the smile off of my face. I tried to be modest, but I just couldn’t contain my feelings. I was exploding with joy. This experience taught me that if you really want something then you have to work for it. Now that I had acquired this prodigious honor, nothing could stop me from enjoying it, not even myself. ................
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