Descriptive Narrative Essay

Paper details:

See attached photo and instructions. This photo was taken on Mothers day with my five siblings. my mother is in the middle with the white dress and tan shoes. We all took her to the Cheese Cake Factory for her birthday. I’m sitting next to her with the green shirt and white shoes. It was a awesome day and night for us full of laughs, jokes and great food. lots of pictures and walking around while we waited for our number to be called. we also sat at the bar and teased my brother on the end with the black shirt about him drinking alcohol. The night was long but we enjoyed each other.

see below.

Think of all the photographs you possess. Decide which one of them is your favorite and why. Then write an essay of between 750-1000 words, telling the story behind the photograph. Give your story a plot, with a catchy opening, drama, suspense, humor, etc. – whatever it takes to make it a good story. Decide where in your narrative a description of the photograph will come. Yes, you need to have a description of the photograph somewhere in your narrative – think of it as one more opportunity to use sensory and figurative language! Think about the following: How will you begin your story, and in what order will you tell the events? Where will the description of the picture come? How will you end your story?

1) Again, somewhere in the story (it’s up to you where), you’ll need to describe the photograph itself. For the description of the photograph, use specific, sensory description, and figurative language, too. Describe what everyone who looks at the photograph will see. That is, tell how the person, place, or thing actually looks—what the person is wearing, the texture of the object and its color, and other such details.

2) It’s also important to tell the reader, at some point, why the photo is meaningful to you; that will help to give your story purpose. Your story will involve describing, in narrative/story form, the memories behind the photograph. You may decide to convey the photograph’s meaning at the beginning, somewhere in the middle, or at the end of the story. Whatever seems most dramatic.

3) Remember: we don’t know who these people in the photograph are, or what the place is like. It’s up to you to both describe the photograph and its contents in all the specific sensory detail and figurative language you can think of to do so, and to characterize these people and places for us, so we know what they’re like. If you don’t, we won’t be able to visualize and imagine them, and they won’t be as real to us. So…breathe life into these people and places, and into the events of your story, and make them exist for your reader in an engaging and entertaining way.

4) Throughout the story, you’ll want to use sensory description and figurative language to emphasize and characterize what’s really important to you in the story. Decide who and what the main players are in your story (people, places, objects, etc.). What are they like? How are you going to describe them using sensory and figurative language as you’re telling the events of your story?

5) Make sure the ending of your story is satisfying to the reader. The story’s ending will somehow have to tie all the elements together – maybe this is where you want to comment yourself on the story’s meaning, or the wisdom you’ve gained in hindsight, or maybe connect your specific experience to the “bigger picture” (ex: there are a lot of bigger implications/lessons to be learned from my personal hurricane-disaster experience). It’s up to you. Just don’t let your story fizzle out, and be without a “punch-line.”

6) After you have typed a draft and are satisfied with the content, revise and edit carefully. The CSSC (writing lab) is a good resource. Go to the writing consultants with specific questions about your essay (e.g. questions about grammar, structure, descriptions you are using, etc.) or use the online service. Even though you are an online student, you can still use the writing lab on any campus.

7) You must either place the photograph you used into the dropbox as a .jpeg attachment, or just copy and paste it directly in your paper file. This paper must be double-spaced and use at least 12 pt. font; place it as an attachment into the dropbox. Use only .doc, .docx or .rtf files, or your paper will not be counted as having been received.

Note: The story must be based on your personal experience, though you may embellish or change details as needed for effect. Do not choose a magazine photograph (unless you were the photographer who shot it) or make up an imaginary tale. If you do so, you will receive a grade of “F” for this assignment.

Descriptive Narrative Essay

Paper details:

See attached photo and instructions. This photo was taken on Mothers day with my five siblings. my mother is in the middle with the white dress and tan shoes. We all took her to the Cheese Cake Factory for her birthday. I’m sitting next to her with the green shirt and white shoes. It was a awesome day and night for us full of laughs, jokes and great food. lots of pictures and walking around while we waited for our number to be called. we also sat at the bar and teased my brother on the end with the black shirt about him drinking alcohol. The night was long but we enjoyed each other.

see below.

Think of all the photographs you possess. Decide which one of them is your favorite and why. Then write an essay of between 750-1000 words, telling the story behind the photograph. Give your story a plot, with a catchy opening, drama, suspense, humor, etc. – whatever it takes to make it a good story. Decide where in your narrative a description of the photograph will come. Yes, you need to have a description of the photograph somewhere in your narrative – think of it as one more opportunity to use sensory and figurative language! Think about the following: How will you begin your story, and in what order will you tell the events? Where will the description of the picture come? How will you end your story?

1) Again, somewhere in the story (it’s up to you where), you’ll need to describe the photograph itself. For the description of the photograph, use specific, sensory description, and figurative language, too. Describe what everyone who looks at the photograph will see. That is, tell how the person, place, or thing actually looks—what the person is wearing, the texture of the object and its color, and other such details.

2) It’s also important to tell the reader, at some point, why the photo is meaningful to you; that will help to give your story purpose. Your story will involve describing, in narrative/story form, the memories behind the photograph. You may decide to convey the photograph’s meaning at the beginning, somewhere in the middle, or at the end of the story. Whatever seems most dramatic.

3) Remember: we don’t know who these people in the photograph are, or what the place is like. It’s up to you to both describe the photograph and its contents in all the specific sensory detail and figurative language you can think of to do so, and to characterize these people and places for us, so we know what they’re like. If you don’t, we won’t be able to visualize and imagine them, and they won’t be as real to us. So…breathe life into these people and places, and into the events of your story, and make them exist for your reader in an engaging and entertaining way.

4) Throughout the story, you’ll want to use sensory description and figurative language to emphasize and characterize what’s really important to you in the story. Decide who and what the main players are in your story (people, places, objects, etc.). What are they like? How are you going to describe them using sensory and figurative language as you’re telling the events of your story?

5) Make sure the ending of your story is satisfying to the reader. The story’s ending will somehow have to tie all the elements together – maybe this is where you want to comment yourself on the story’s meaning, or the wisdom you’ve gained in hindsight, or maybe connect your specific experience to the “bigger picture” (ex: there are a lot of bigger implications/lessons to be learned from my personal hurricane-disaster experience). It’s up to you. Just don’t let your story fizzle out, and be without a “punch-line.”

6) After you have typed a draft and are satisfied with the content, revise and edit carefully. The CSSC (writing lab) is a good resource. Go to the writing consultants with specific questions about your essay (e.g. questions about grammar, structure, descriptions you are using, etc.) or use the online service. Even though you are an online student, you can still use the writing lab on any campus.

7) You must either place the photograph you used into the dropbox as a .jpeg attachment, or just copy and paste it directly in your paper file. This paper must be double-spaced and use at least 12 pt. font; place it as an attachment into the dropbox. Use only .doc, .docx or .rtf files, or your paper will not be counted as having been received.

Note: The story must be based on your personal experience, though you may embellish or change details as needed for effect. Do not choose a magazine photograph (unless you were the photographer who shot it) or make up an imaginary tale. If you do so, you will receive a grade of “F” for this assignment.