In Class Lab: Narratives

1.       Visual Description:

“The hall had no windows; only fluorescent lighting illuminated the large space.” –pg 128 p#2

“I met a small, slender black woman. She was in her sixties, with her short gray hair neatly tucked up inside a kerchief.” –pg 128 p#1

2.       Dialog:

“I did pass every part-except writing. “Writing! Yeah, right! How did I manage to fail writing, and by half a point, no less?” I thought to myself in disbelief.” –Handout Sample literacy narrative, p#2

“...and asked, “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?” She couldn’t answer my question.” –Handout Sample literacy narrative, p#4

3.       Sensory Description:

“Entering the large VFW hall, we were struck by the chemical odor of cleaning solution so strong that it seemed toxic.” –pg 128 p#2

“Coming from the hot, humid weather outdoors, we found the inside uncomfortably cold from air conditioning. The cackle of a television set was the only sound.” –pg 128 p#2

4.       Topic Brainstorm:

Final English paper last year, reading Battle Royale for it

Writing things fall apart paper

5.       Purpose:

I want to fulfil this assignment. I want to find a time that reading or writing had an impact on me.  

6.       Audience:

Most of my audience has probably read a book for a class before. Probably not a whole lot of people have read the specific book I did for my project. Some will share my love for reading, and dislike of writing.

7.       Stance:

I want my writing to reflect that even those like me, who hate writing, can enjoy it if they write about something they’re interested in.

8.       Media/Design:

Essay format, written. Probably no visuals or pictures in an academic essay.First person, because this is an experience that happened to me.

9.       What do you see?

Blank word doc. Blinking cursor. Red numbers on my alarm clock. Books set up on a library table.

10.   What do you hear?

Music. Coyotes outside. Dog snoring under my desk.CLicking of keyboard.

11.   What do you smell?

Book pages.

12.   How and what do you feel?

Procrastination, I don’t know what to write about, excitement from the story, lying in bed, frustrated at lack of what to write about,

13.   What do you taste?

Chewing gum, mint.

14.   Describe each person

My English teacher: A little eccentric, really wants her students to enjoy writing, and write to the best of their ability

Me: dislike of writing, really want to get out of school already (close to the end of the year)

15.   Summarize the action

I was assigned to write an essay about another culture, and part of the assignment was to read a book from another culture.

16.   Consider the significance of the narrative

This story is about how I learned that to write, I have to enjoy what I’m writing about. This was an important lesson for me to take into college writing, and I’m really grateful to my English teacher for pushing me to do my best.