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An American Experience: An Essay Written in Narrative Style

Write a two- to three-page narrative essay about your encounter or experience with one aspect of American experience. You could alternatively describe your experience as an American in another society. This essay should apply the following:
1.Apply the storytelling conventions of a compelling introduction, plot, descriptive setting, characterization, climax, and conclusion. 
2.Describe the encounter or experience using concrete, sensory details (sound, image, touch, smell, and taste). 
3.Interpret the American experience through the lens of an American in American society, or an American in another society. 
4.Demonstrate an ability to organize the story in a logical and connective manner by providing a clear beginning, middle, and end. 
How to Write Your Narrative Essay
Address the following in your narrative essay, but do so in paragraph format, retaining the natural flow of storytelling.
•Purpose and Shape
Give your essay purpose and shape, or structure. Discussion One, “Literature of the Late 19th Century – Narrative Writing,” has examples of narrative writing that retain a central purpose while telling a story. 
•The Narrator
The narrator of such a personal experience is the speaker, the one who was there. Since this will be you, use I subjective, and incorporate details and language to express your feelings. However, avoid an over-abundance of the use of first person. Instead, incorporate universal or generalized language to create connection for the reader. 
•What to Emphasize ◦While telling your story and coming to your point, you should strive to answer the following questions. Do so in a natural way, as you would while telling any story.  Avoid heavy handed answers to these questions. 
◦What happened? 
◦Who took part? 
◦When? 
◦Where? 
◦Why did this event (or these events) take place? 
◦How did it (or they) happen? 

•Organization
Organize your story in as logical a way as possible.  
The Point
Although many narratives lack an official thesis statement, for the purposes of this essay, you are to start the essay telling the reader exactly what point you are making and end with a concluding statement of some kind, which indicates your outlook on the world or the manner in which you were shaped by the event(s) you have described. For an example, read Harold Taw’s work. Taw’s essay is one in the series entitled This I Believe, offered by NPR; multiple such examples exist at their website. For other examples of narrative essays, read or listen to excerpts from David Sedaris’ narrative essays at Dressed in 'Corduroy': New Book Finds Satirist's Self-Deprecating Wit Intact. You may also read Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris or Harold Taw’s Finding Prosperity by Feeding Monkeys. 

The essay must:
•Be two to three pages in length. 
•Be formatted according to APA style, 6th edition. 
•Use at least two scholarly resources (at least one of which can be found in the Ashford University Library) other than the textbook to support your claims and sub-claims. 
•Use cited resources in text and on the reference page.

McMichael, G., & Leonard, J. S. (Eds.). (2011). Concise anthology of American literature (7th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.