(Sorry for the delayed posting)
Ms. Brandy guest taught.
In class students received a hand out on personal essays. The next major writing assignment will be a personal essay. The information on that handout is pasted below, but writer's should get a copy from Mr. Zartler.
Writer's also studied a personal essay by David James Duncan called "Rose Vegetables."
Creative Writing English
Personal Essay Criteria
Due ____January 2011_______
A personal essay is a kind of a self-portrait. By telling a story, and also sharing objective facts the author shows what kind of person he or she is, and attempts to engage the reader in thinking about an event, issue, or thing in a new way. By examining some aspect of the world that anyone might experience, but showing that examination from a personal point of view, the author tries to help the reader connect the idea being examined to the rest of the world. Also the author may reveal him or herself to the reader – particularly in an college application personal essay.
A Personal Essay Should:
ü Essay reveals something about the author
ü Essay prompts the reader to think through asking questions; challenging assumptions; and introducing and examining multiple perspectives
ü Essay grabs the reader’s interest
ü Essay contains interesting language including imagery, vivid descriptions, specific (rather than general) words; Essay employs the elements of story telling
ü Essay is passionate with evidence of author’s knowledge of the subject
ü Essay is presented in a careful, complete, and mechanically polished way.
ü Essay avoids repetition
Think about SOAPS + Claim when considering your essay. Your essay should have a Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker, and a Claim.
Now the most pressing occasion might be that your teacher or college is making you write, but if you can fabricate an occasion to make your piece more interesting, e.g. “I had an extra $100 so I decided to test the proposition that more expensive food is better.”
You, of course, are going to be “the speaker.” You should introduce yourself in the essay. You might say for example, that you have never eaten anywhere but McDonalds, for the above essay. Or if you are going to try to eat only organic, or vegetarian food for a week, you might say how much you love a good steak.
The purpose of your essay should be made clear. Essay comes from the French word essai, which means to “try.” An essay should be your “try” at understanding an issue, and your try at explaining what you have figured out to your audience.
Finally, your claim should be clear: “The world will be better when hamburgers never weigh more than ¼ pound;” “Organic food is expensive, over-hyped, and extremely tasty;” “A two-hundred dollar dinner is a ridiculous waste of money.”
Below is what Bailey White may have written about her essay “Family Values.”
My essay “Family Values” is quite good. Right off the bat I grab the readers attention with a startling event, “My Aunt Eleanor was taking a shower the other day when the whole bathroom fell right through the floor…” I use interesting language throughout the essay. For example I wrote “a story of a spectacular plumbing disaster” rather than something plain like “a big problem with our tub.” I also use words like “degenerated” and “frittered” which are colorful and specific. I use other specific words and phrases like “crown molding.”
I encourage readers to think about other people’s perspectives through my choice of subject matter. Most people would not think that how spectacular a disaster you have been evidence for how good your family is.
I tell the story very concisely. In fact, some people might say that I don’t give enough detail, because I don’t ever say my main point. However, I think that my point does get across.
In the published copy of “Family Values” my grammar and punctuation are perfect.
Personal Essay
YES NO
Essay grabs the reader’s interest
Essay contains interesting language including imagery, vivid descriptions, specific (rather than general) words
Essay is passionate with evidence of author’s knowledge of the subject
Essay prompts the reader to think through asking questions; challenging assumptions; and introducing and examining multiple perspectives
Essay is presented in a careful, complete, and mechanically polished way.
Essay avoids repetition
Comments / Grade
Personal Essay
YES NO
Essay grabs the reader’s interest
Essay contains interesting language including imagery, vivid descriptions, specific (rather than general) words
Essay is passionate with evidence of author’s knowledge of the subject
Essay prompts the reader to think through asking questions; challenging assumptions; and introducing and examining multiple perspectives
Essay is presented in a careful, complete, and mechanically polished way.
Essay avoids repetition
Comments / Grade
For food essay
Your subject must in some way be related to food. But food is all around us. Perhaps you would like to write about some aspect of working at Safeway or Wild Oats. Perhaps you worked for one week at a coffee shop and you learned you couldn’t stand the customers. Maybe your uncle served a goose he had just shot for Thanksgiving, and you found it hard to eat. Perhaps you would like to say that people who are into “slow food” are hippie freaks, or perhaps you’d like to write about why people who eat tomatos in Portland in February are helping to destroy the planet.
