The assignment:
Write a narrative about a significant experience you have had. Remember that you are writing for an audience other than yourself, so your essay should do more than simply tell what happened. Strive for a controlling theme. You do not need to state your theme explicitly in your paper, but the details you choose to include, the tone, and the structure, should all reinforce a single theme or main idea. Your purpose is to not only entertain your reader, but to leave them with something meaningful; perhaps your reader will gain a new perspective or understanding about some subject.

Choosing a topic:
You can write a narrative about nearly anything: receiving news of the death of a loved one or attending the funeral; getting your first tattoo; putting up drywall with your father; riding on the back of your mother's Harley; flying solo for the first time; meeting your roommate at SIU. When you brainstorm for topic ideas think big and small. List events that truly changed your life and list experiences that simply interested you in one way or another. Do some freewriting about several different experiences before settling on the one you'll write about for your paper. You might be surprised at what meaning can come from a seemingly inconsequential experience. Even if you write about something "small," however, the significance of the narrative should be clear to your reader. Remember that your peers and your teacher will be reading your paper, so steer clear of any topics that are too painful or too personal for you to share with others at this point.

Reminders:

• Your paper should have a clear theme. You do not need to state the theme explicitly-- in fact, great narratives most often do not-- but the details you include should be chosen specifically to reinforce your theme.
• Specific, concrete details are one of the most important elements of a good narrative. You should show rather than tell. Strive to create vivid images that will make an impact on your reader. If people are saying things to each other in your narrative, recreate realistic dialogue--treat it like a short story or a play. Carefully choose the details that you will include in your final draft, slowing down to focus on the ones that reinforce your theme or mood. You do not need to show us every detail, just the important ones.
• Think about the order of your narrative. Most narratives are chronologically structured, but, depending on your topic or your theme, you may want to change the order. For example, you might show us a car crash in the first paragraph in order to draw us in and then, later in your paper, flashback to the hours leading up to that climactic moment.
• Suspense is an important element of narrative, as well. While you don't have to rival Poe or Hitchcock, you should try to keep your reader interested. Make us want to know what's going to happen next. This might be a good reason not to put the climax at the beginning, and, especially, not to come out and tell us exactly what your theme is or what your story is going to do. In other words, we break away from the five-paragraph essay form.

Due dates and format:
Your rough draft is due on Friday, September 7. Bring two typed copies.
Your final draft, with all process work, is due at the beginning of class on Monday, September 9.
Your final draft should be titled and must be typed, double-spaced, and in a 12 point font.