Essay 1 Assignment Prompt ENGH101 Prof.

Stephanie Liberatore Complete first draft for Peer Review due: Monday, February 4, 2013 Final draft and post-script due: Monday, February 11, 2013 Word count: 750 words The Who I Am Story: Narrative Writing The assignment Here in English 101, were all new to each other and to the business of college writing. So in this assignment, your task is to write a Who I Am story for your new professor and classmatesmost of whom are just now meeting you for the first time. Think about a characteristic that only those closest to you seethat someone who doesnt really know you yet might find surprising or intriguing. Has anyone ever said, for example, When I first met you, I never would have guessed that you were so competitive/shy/funny etc.? Your Who I Am story should show us who you arenot in a rambling, tell-all way, but by showing us this one key characteristic or aspect of your personality. Once youve identified your characteristic, choose one, specific event in your life that illustrates this characteristic. Remember, this is just one momentone specific scene in the long course of your lifenot a 10-year span of time that shaped who you are today. This one, specific example is your story! Tell us your story in 750 words or so (no less than 700, no more than 800, please!). And be sure to narrate and describe the event in such a way that your chosen Who I Am characteristic becomes clear to your readers in the way you want them to understand it. Things to keep in mind Stories are not just meant to entertainthey have a point! Make sure your story has a pointthat it communicates very clearly the characteristic and the event youve chosen. It should, therefore, include an implicit thesisit may not have an explicit thesis, stated in an identifiable sentence or two, but the point you want your reader to take away should be clear by the end of your narrative. Details! A good story needs to show and tellbut mostly show. When illustrating your example or event, think of it like a movie. Give us the sensory detailsthe sights, smells, soundsand the dialogue! Paint a picture for us. This will not only draw your readers in, but also give us some context for whats going on in your story. This includes both external events and internal perceptions (feelings, reflection, etc.).

Remember, because we, your readers, are unfamiliar with youyoull need to give us the background information needed to understand whats going on in your story. Tell us where this scene is happening, how old you are, who the characters are in the scene, etc. I know this assignment may be tough for those of you who havent done narrative writing beforeor for those of you who are uncomfortable writing about yourselves. However, this story does not have to give your most intimate secrets away. It can divulge as much (or as little) as youre comfortable with. Please be aware that I will be reading this story, and so will many of your classmatesso make sure the content is appropriate for class. Dont forget to include a post-script with your final draft! See page 3 of the syllabus for instructions.

The grading breakdown A C story will: Follow the assignmentit isolates one characteristic and focuses primarily on one event that illustrates this characteristic for the reader. Present some kind of implicit thesis. Pay some attention to organizationit will start with some kind of an introduction that engages the reader, presents a scene that the reader is able to follow, and gives the reader some idea of what he or she is supposed to take away from all this. Have sufficiently correct grammarthe prose is sufficiently clear so as not to confuse the writers intended meaning.

A B story will do all that a C story does and more. It will: Have an implicit thesis that is easy to identify. Be well organized and easy to follow. Have few grammar errors.

An A story will do all that B and C stories do and more. It will: Present a unique and compelling voice and paint a vivid picture for the reader.

Get readers interested from the start. Help the reader draw conclusions. Have a strong grasp of grammar, language, and nuance.

D and F stories will not meet the bullet points listed above: They may not choose a scene that directly shows the characteristic, or describes it with too few details and makes the reader do most of the connecting. The structure of these stories may be difficult to follow. The level of grammatical error may interfere with the writers intended meaning. The writer may not follow the assignmenthe/she does not choose one characteristic or event and tell the story through that lens.

A note about first drafts You must bring in a complete first draft for peer review on Monday, February 4. It should be about 750 words, and feel like a finished draft (though, of course, not a perfect one). Please bring two, printed hard copies to class for our peer-review session.