Download Writing a Personal Narrative

Writing a Personal Narrative
Claire Macdonald Mahony
David Thompson Middle School
What is a Personal Narrative?
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A Personal Narrative is a form of writing in
which the writer relates an event , incident, or
experience in his or her own life.
The events of a personal narrative are most
often presented in chronological order, the order
in which they actually occurred in time.
The personal narrative incorporates vivid
descriptive details as well as the
thoughts, feelings, and reactions of the writer.
How Should a Personal Narrative
be Written?
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For this essay you will need to write about one
specific experience that changed how you acted,
thought, or felt. Use your experience as a spring
board for reflection.
Your purpose is not to merely tell an interesting
story but to show your readers the importance
and influence the experience has had on you.
PAT Exemplars
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In May on your PAT test there will be
choices, a five paragraph essay
(Bing,Bang,Bongo) or a Personal
Narrative. They often use photographs to
inspire you.
What Makes a Good Personal
Narrative?
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Good stories occur everywhere and can be told about
anything. They are as likely to occur in your own
neighborhood as in some exotic locale.
Potential stories happen daily; what makes potential
stories actual stories is putting them into language,
recounting them, orally or in writing.
Good stories are entertaining, informative, lively, and
believable; they will mean something to those who write
them as well as to those who read them.
What Makes a Good Personal
Narrative?
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In other words, any time you render a full account of a
personal experience, you answer what is commonly
known as "reporter's questions"--the who, what, where,
when, why, and how questions reporters ask themselves
to make sure their reports of news stories are complete.
Whether your essay is engaging or not depends upon
the subject, your interest in telling it, and the skills you
use to weave together these story elements.
Setting the Story Up
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All stories account for something that happenedan event or series of events, after which
something or somebody is changed. As in a
fictive story, your personal essay will contain the
similar elements:
a character (who?) to whom something happens
(what?), in some place (where?), at some time
(when?), for some reason (why?), told from a
particular perspective (how?).
Parts of a Personal Narrative
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All personal narratives should have the following:
A beginning that grabs the reader's interest; sometimes gives
background information and a hint about the meaning or
importance of the event.
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A middle that tells about important events, describes people and
places, and tells the writer's thoughts and feelings.
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An ending in which the writer explains the outcome and shows the
meaning of the experience (what they learned from it).
Characteristics of a Personal
Narrative
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focuses on one experience
shows the purpose clearly in that the importance of the event is
clear to the reader
expresses the writer's thoughts and feelings throughout
is written in first person "I"
has manly relevant sensory details (things for the reader to see.
hear, feel, smell, taste)
must have dialogue in order for the reader to feel like they are
there
must have why it is important and/or how it affected the writer
Characteristics of a Personal
Narrative
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clear purpose (why this event is important to you)
first person account (help us understand the narrator)
opening sentence (question, interesting observation, or
summary of purpose)
organized facts and events
explanation of need and how addressed
sensory description
conclusion (what was learned or accomplished/effect on
self )
Choosing a Topic
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write about something you remember well
write about something that has meaning
or importance to you
write about something you do not care to
have read by others
How will I know how well I did?
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Use the Rubric to determine if you are
hitting all the areas of the personal
narrative.