TELLING A TELLING A STORY—STORY—

MAKING A MAKING A POINTPOINT

Narrative EssayNarrative Essay

The AssignmentThe Assignment

Tell me the story of a Tell me the story of a time when you learned time when you learned a life lesson.a life lesson.

Intro ParagraphIntro Paragraph

Should be around five Should be around five sentences.sentences.

Should capture the Should capture the readers’ attention.readers’ attention.

Focus the topic through Focus the topic through the use of a the use of a THESIS THESIS STATEMENTSTATEMENT..

Attention GrabbersAttention Grabbers

People have times People have times when they remember when they remember learning an important learning an important lesson.lesson.

As we grow up, life As we grow up, life teaches us hard truths teaches us hard truths that we need to that we need to understand.understand.

Can you remember a Can you remember a time in your life where time in your life where a simple mistake took a simple mistake took on epic importance?on epic importance?

Sample Thesis

I have found that I I have found that I can succeed if I can succeed if I focus on what I want focus on what I want more than what more than what others want.others want.

Sample Thesis

An important lesson An important lesson for me was to find out for me was to find out that I must follow my that I must follow my own mind or be own mind or be disappointed.disappointed.

SampleSample Thesis Thesis

In my life, I have In my life, I have learned that the learned that the people whom we love people whom we love do not always look out do not always look out for our best interest.for our best interest.

Body Paragraph 1Body Paragraph 1

This This paragraph paragraph provides the provides the background background information information that is that is necessary necessary for the story.for the story.

CharactersCharactersAgesAgesPlacePlaceRelationshipRelationshipBasic Basic situationsituation

otherother

Body Paragraph 2Body Paragraph 2

This paragraph will This paragraph will have several key have several key events of the story events of the story that lead up to the that lead up to the climax, the high point.climax, the high point.

BodyBody Paragraph 3

This paragraph This paragraph contains the event of contains the event of the high point of the the high point of the action and the action and the resolution.resolution.

This paragraph This paragraph contains the event of contains the event of the high point of the the high point of the action and the action and the resolution.resolution.

Conclusion ParagraphConclusion Paragraph

Will reinforce the Will reinforce the thesis and make the thesis and make the point bigger or more point bigger or more universal.universal.

Technique to tryTechnique to try

State how your life, State how your life, outlook, or point-of-outlook, or point-of-view has changed by view has changed by learning this lesson.learning this lesson.

Example ConclusionExample Conclusion

As I have grown up, I have had to As I have grown up, I have had to learn this lesson more than once. Too learn this lesson more than once. Too often, I put more value on the opinions often, I put more value on the opinions of others than my own. I have learned of others than my own. I have learned to trust myself more often that I did to trust myself more often that I did when I was young. When I do not trust when I was young. When I do not trust my own instincts about what is right my own instincts about what is right for me, I feel as bitter and powerless for me, I feel as bitter and powerless as I did at three.as I did at three.