Drafting A Narrative Essay
Introduction
Elements Begin with brief summary of the published essay: In David Mamet s The Rake: A Few Scenes from My Childhood, he describes the domestic violence that he and his sister endure at the hands of his mother and step-father. Include a quote from the essay: As a result of the vicious cycle of abuse, he lashes out at his sister one day, lacerating her lip with a rake. He writes, I turned and threw the rake at her and hit her in the face (163).
Transition into Your Narrative Example: Like Mamet, I, too, experienced domestic violence in my childhood. Insert thesis: Unlike him, family members intervened early to stop the abuse. In effect, they ended the generational cycle of violence.
The Body Paragraphs The Arc of Your Story
Situation Begin with the Situation (1-2 paras): provide any relevant back-story, discussion, or definitions. Example: I was born in 1956, in Las Vegas, New Mexico. My father worked days in an auto repair shop, and to make ends meet, he moonlighted three nights a week at a gas station. My mother was a housewife, cooking and cleaning for my two brothers, three sisters, and me. The physical abuse began early, and, since I was the oldest son, I was the easy target.
Conflict and Struggle What are the actions and details of the story (several paragraphs)? What facts or information help to create tension in your story (rising action) Does your story have an Aha! Moment? Does each new paragraph begin with a topic sentence? Example topic sentence: The physical abuse began when I was four. The reader then expects examples of the abuse.
Outcome How does the story end? (falling action) Example: As a result of my running away and after witnessing my bruises and broken arm, my relatives called the authorities. The court eventually ordered my siblings and me to be remanded into foster care. My brothers and sisters were finally adopted by family members, but I spent the next eight years bouncing from foster home to foster home.
CONCLUSION MEANING
Conclusion (Meaning) This is the analysis piece; it explains to the reader why you chose this story and what it means to you and what it might mean to the reader (although astute readers always take away multiple layers of understanding). The writer should also tie his/her narrative back to the original essay by Mamet. Include a quote from his essay. Example: The awful memories of my childhood have mercifully become distant; I even have found a modicum of forgiveness for my parents now that I realize how their own difficult childhoods informed their atrocious methods of parenting. In the same way that Mamet achieves clarity about his life, so too have I, and, as I assess my childhood [f]rom the remove of years, I can see how the area[s] [of my life] might and may have been beautiful (163).
Show vs. Tell Well chosen details make your story come to life. The story must also contain the following components: situation, conflict and/or struggle, aha moment, outcome, and meaning. Using dialogue effectively helps the reader to understand characters and their motivation. Example: (indent dialogue 5 spaces for the first line) How many times do I have to tell you not to play with your food! my father shouted. I work hard for this family, and food costs money! But I don t like lima beans, I sobbed. And then I was flying, soaring backwards through the air until gravity imposed its will. My head hit the concrete and linoleum floor with a dull thud. The flow of narratives is usually guided by two principles: time and place (space). We can organize our story using a timeline or as we change locations or a combination of both. When I was ten, my father lost his job. (timeline) The abuse intensified when we were forced to leave our home and move into a small travel trailer. (place) In 1966, my father lost his job, and we were forced to move into a small travel trailer. Just imagine, a family of eight crammed miserably into a 12 X 14 foot space. (time, place/space) Title your essay! Example: Lost Boy ( It is legal to use the titles of other works)