Essay-1-Narrative-Argument-and-Response-

Essay 1: Narrative Argument & Response

Make a three mistakes that are easy to fix. I don’t want it to be perfect, I want it to be good.

• Objective: This essay will require you to read, analyze and utilize multiple texts as well as use your own experience with the subject in order to develop a clear and well-supported argument.
• Required Research/Readings: Any two of the Following:
• Minimum Length: 3-5 pages

“The Lonely, Good Company of Books” by Robert Rodriguez

“One Writer’s Beginnings” by Eudora Welty

“Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie

“Why I Write” by George Orwell

Any of the “Why I Write” pieces (by Allende, Jen, Junger, McBride)

• Each author counts as a separate source

Video: “Sherman Alexie Talks”

Ted Talk: Tales of Passion – Isabel Allende

Ted Talk: What Makes a World Real? – Anne Curzan

Ted Talk: The Secret Structure of Great Talks – Nancy Duarte

Ted Talk: The Danger of a Single Story – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Background: For this project, you will focus of two of the readings, videos, or TED Talks from the required readings.

Prompt: Your goal is to analyze both your own approach and history with reading and writing (Narative) and reflect on the things you have learned or plan to incorporate from the two sources you have chosen (Response).

Your thesis should reflect your relationship with reading and writing, and/or the effect reading has had on your life. The first part of your essay should mirror a format like “The Lonely, Good Company of Books,” “One Writer’s Beginnings” or “Superman and Me” where you tell the story of your relationships with books. The second half of your essay, should be focused on the following:

• An analysis of either strategies and devices you would like to emulate or reproduce in your own writing (aka things in the three sources you would like to use) or strategies and devices you will never use or reproduce in your writing because of the author’s inaffective application in the work. (Basically, in this part of the essay, I would like you to reflect on the two sources you have chosen and talk about what you really liked or what you really hated, and how you can implement those thing in your own writing.)

Requirements:

• Length: 3-5 pages (This does not include your Works Cited page)
• You will need
  • 1.Introduction (including a hook, background information, and your thesis)
  • 2.Body paragraphs (including examples from the texts as well as your narrative and analysis of outside sources)
  • 3.Conclusion

• You may choose to end your essay with a reflection on how your relationship with words has changed because of the knowledge gained from the sources you have chosen.

https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_curzan_what_makes_a…

https://www.ted.com/talks/isabel_allende_tells_tal…

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_d…

https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_…