H. Jenkins



The Non-Traditional Hero The narrative mode of writing uses description, vivid imagery, dialogue and sensory details to tell the reader a story. Thus far, we have read and analyzed an excellent example of a narrative essay entitled “A View from the Bridge” by Cherokee Paul McDonald in which the author reflects on how his attitude was “saved” by a young blind boy fishing on a pier. Next, we will read a literature excerpt from the epic poem Beowulf that paints a picture of the ideal superhero who “saves” the Danes from the physical danger of monsters and dragons. Though pure fantasy, Beowulf provides insight into the values and culture of the Anglo-Saxon people and helps define an era. Today, superheroes like Superman, Batman, and The Avengers are the ideal warriors who “save” the world from destruction on the big screen. However, some heroes aren’t so obvious like those in “A View from the Bridge” and “Working at Wendy’s.” These are what we call Non-Traditional Heroes. Your first essay assignment is to write a narrative essay that captures a moment you were impacted by a non-traditional hero. Your non-traditional hero can be a person, place, thing, or event that “saves” you physically, mentally, and/or emotionally, but it MUST not be obvious. Please AVOID CLICH? heroes – NO policeman, firemen, parents, and grandparents. For, these are often overly simplistic and not very entertaining. Remember, the purpose of a narrative is to tell a story, so demonstrate meaning through description, imagery, dialogue and sensory details. Please note that nowhere in your essay do you have to identify this person, place, thing, or event as a hero, nor do you have to tell exactly how it impacted your life. The text of the narrative should serve to SHOW, NOT TELL, the reader its purpose. General Essay Guidelines: Your paper should be a minimum of 800 words but should NOT exceed 1,000. Please use proper MLA format (see example below)Typed and Double SpacedNO bigger than 12 point font1 inch margins all around Use DIALOGUE that is CORRECTLY FORMATTED. Use pre-writing to generate ideas, but do NOT include in your final draft. Revise and proofread your essay paying attention to format, content, organization, and grammar. COMPLETED ROUGH DRAFT DUE _____________________________ FINAL DRAFT DUE ________________________________(1” Margins on Top)First Last Mrs. H. JenkinsEnglish IV/0091 17 August 2010Miscalculation A million thoughts were circulating through my mind as I made my way to Room 502.? Did I sharpen my pencils?? Do I have my admission ticket? Is my phone turned off?? As I walked down the hallway, all I could hear was the squeaking of shoes along the vinyl floor and the downpour of rain.? Being back at Lutcher High was not the place I wanted to be at seven o’clock on a Saturday morning—but I had no choice.? I was here to take the ACT, and as I made my way towards Room 502, I couldn’t stop the nerves that were pulsating through my body.??????????? I finally reached my destination and saw my test administrator.? She had gray hair that was tied into a neat bun.? The flower-patterned skirt she wore reached her ankles, and the matching blouse hung loosely around her slender frame.? Her eyes held no expression, and her hands clutched a clipboard tightly to her chest.? I handed her my admission ticket and waited impatiently.? She glanced towards the classroom, and then she looked at me.??????????? “Third row, fifth desk,” she said in an emotionless, rehearsed tone.? ??????????? She handed my admission ticket back to me, and I clutched it firmly.? I walked into the classroom and was immediately greeted with the strong smell of cleaning supplies.? The walls were bare except for the occasional motivational poster.? One of the posters read, “Enthusiasm ignites greatness.”? Well, it’s kind of hard to be enthused about taking a four hour test.? I cringed at the realization that I would be in this confined space for hours.? Trudging over to my desk, I sat down with a clunk.? I glanced around the classroom searching for familiar faces.? The room was composed mostly of strangers. Placing my old purse on my desk, I reached inside and pulled out four sharpened pencils and my TI-82 calculator. I carefully situated my pencils on the top right corner of my desk, and I made sure they were lined up perfectly.? Then, I took my calculator and set it parallel to my pencils.? Sweeping my hands across my desk, I wiped off any dust or pencil erasures.? I felt as if I was a surgeon prepping for surgery—every instrument must be carefully positioned, and the operating table must be clean.??????????? As I anxiously waited for the test to begin, I noticed a girl sitting to the right of me.? She had long, platinum blonde hair that was curled slightly.? She wore bright red lipstick, smoky eye shadow, and a shade-too-dark foundation.? Her long fingernails looked freshly painted with a French manicure.? The girl wore a bright purple dress with three-inch heels.? I looked back at her face and saw that she was applying a fresh coat of lip gloss.? This girl looked as if she was dressed for a party, not to take the ACT.? Great, just what I need, someone to cheat off of me.? I tore my eyes away from this girl who I thought was just another dumb blonde.??????????? Being the obsessive compulsive person that I am, I decided to check (again) if my calculator was working.? I grabbed my calculator and pressed the ON button.? The screen stayed blank.? I pressed the button again—still nothing.? A jolt of fear shot through me like a strike of lightening.? I yanked my purse from under my desk and began frantically searching inside.? Why didn’t I bring batteries? I brought everything else except batteries! Sweat was dripping profusely down my forehead. With no luck of finding batteries, I threw my purse on the floor with anger.? ??????????? Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder.? I whipped my head quickly to the right and was staring at the blonde girl I noticed earlier.? What does she want? My face showed a combination of fear and aggravation.??????????? “I noticed your calculator isn’t working, and I have some spare batteries,” the girl whispered.??????????? I was utterly shocked.? This girl, who I had been making derogatory comments about in my private thoughts, was offering me batteries.??? ???????? “Uh, yes.? Thanks,” I said quickly.??????????? Four hours later, I had finished taking the ACT and walked outside.? I felt confident that I did well on the test.? As I made my way to my car, I saw the girl in class who graciously provided me with batteries.? ??????????? “Hey!” I called out loud enough so she could hear.? She turned around and faced me, her blonde hair still perfectly in place.? “Thanks again, you really helped me in there.”? She flashed me a smile and said, “No problem.”????????? ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download