Personal History Essay
Definition
In a Personal Essay, the writer tells a story about a series
of events. The writer needs to explain
the event(s) clearly enough for the reader to follow what happened and when it
happened. The writer also has to tell
the story dramatically enough to keep the reader’s attention and interest. Your goal should be to develop an essay that
informs and/or entertains, and that impels readers to think about their own
lives.
Organization of a Personal Essay
Just about anything in your
life that interests you, amuses you, angers you, or makes you think is a
possible subject for a personal essay.
Dig as deep into your experience as you can. As you think about a topic, event, person, or
place of significance, look for an emerging focus, main idea, or viewpoint.
A personal essay is a blend of narrative (sharing some
aspect of your life) and analysis (commenting upon this time).
Thesis Statements
The thesis statement of your essay presents the subject
of the narration and its significance.
Your essay should reveal your attitude or opinion about the event. Your essay can also tell a message or lesson
related to the event.
Some Helpful Tips on Writing
–
Decide on the
story you want to tell, and think about what the story means to you.
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What attitude
would you like the reader to learn by reading your story? What feeling or attitude would you like the
reader to have about the story you are telling?
–
Outline what
happened first, second, third, and so on.
Don’t forget important, specific details. Divide the action into major blocks. Determine the logical breaks.
–
Focus on the
people involved in your narrative, and try to describe them accurately.
–
Include the
feelings you experienced at different times in you story.
–
Avoid stringing
together a series of events without dramatizing any of them or showing their
significance.
–
Avoid a
list. Make sure the events are logically
connected with appropriate transitions to help the reader follow the sequence
of events.
Essay Guidelines
–
Due dates: Rough Draft due September 26; Final Draft due
October 10.
–
Essay
length: at least 300 words (about 1
page)
–
Rough drafts can
be typed or hand-written, but must be double-spaced.
–
Final draft
format:
–
Typed (if this is
not possible, please let me know)
–
1 inch margins
–
Name and date on
the upper right hand corner
–
Number the pages
on the lower right hand corner
–
Title centered
above the text of the essay
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