Prompt:

Like we saw in Sherman Alexie’s essay “Superman and Me” and Langston Hughes’ “Salvation,” personal narratives can make arguments about larger topics and issues while teaching readers about the author. In the following assignment, you will be asked to think about your own lived experiences and find a story to tell that exemplifies your strengths and/or your values.

For this essay you will write a personal narrative that describes the moment (or moments) when you realized what drives you personally, professionally, or academically. You might describe a time when you recognized a passion you have that exceeds everyday interest. You might recall a time when you came to an understanding or truth about life that now defines your personality. Or, you might recount when you realized you have a skill or mastery of something that others don’t posses. Show, don’t tell, your audience, and use the techniques we discussed in class to relay your story to your audience.

Due Dates and Points: (all assignments due at 11:59pm on the final due date)

Outline: 5 Points

• Suggested Due Date-Thursday July 8
• Final Due Date-Saturday July 10

Rough Draft: 5 Points

• Suggested Due Date-Friday July 9
• Final Due Date-SaturdayJuly 11

Peer Reviews: 5 Points

• Final Due Date-Saturday July 10

Final Draft (80 Points) and Reflection (5 Points):

• Final Due Date-Saturday July 10
  • Your reflection statement should be the last page of your essay (on its own separate page).

Requirements:

• Essay should use MLA formatting guidelines (12 pt. font, Times New Roman, double space, one inch margins, page numbers, etc.). See the Purdue OWL website
• (Links to an external site.)
• for a complete list.
• Try for 3-4 page stories. If you go over or under, that’s ok.

Reflection Statement:

At the end of your essay, please reflect on the assignment and the writing process. This will be part of the same document, but it should be on a separate page with it’s own title (“Narrative Reflection”). You could discuss: what you did well, what you would like to improve on, what pre-writing strategies worked for you, how the conferences, or peer review helped, etc. Be specific in your commentary and don’t just say something like “The conferences helped.” Explain why they helped, or why they didn’t help. This should be no longer than one page, and no less than two paragraphs.