AP English Language & Composition Personal Narrative Identification & Imitation
Authors make choices Stories rarely, if ever, contain a full explanation. Only part of the character or situation is presented. The author has decided to tell you: What is relevant What is accessible to their audience (children, young adult, adult) So the question is: relevant to what? A particular aspect of the subject matter, the theme, the character, the conflict Example: Lord of the Flies: WWII, isolated group of pre-pubescent boys, third person limited omniscient (Ralph), char vs. char, char vs. self, char vs. society, char vs. external force
Pick a partner. [Your Names] Piper Subject matter: Next, set up your boards Perspective: Conflict: Summarize Key Action Describe Emotional State Beginning Middle End https://www.filmsshort.com/short-film-pages/piper-alan-barillaro.html#.wzmpxnpyvoq
In Brief Distribute books Add book number adjacent to your name Review terms narrative voice (perspective), tone, setting, irony, etc. January 13 th page 224 Read through Identify subject matter Identify narrative voice/perspective Identify key writing choices
Group Work Go to a story (#) you have analyzed No more than 4 people at a story number Assign roles: discussion leader (1) makes sure everyone has the opportunity to speak, writers (1-2), presenters (1-2) each person should have a role! Fill in chart Review all responses with group, editing as needed Present to class
Personal Preferences Based on writer choices, I want you to decide what you liked or did not like. Please have a specific reason. Grab a whiteboard marker. Put the numbers 1, 2, or 3 on three stories that appeal to you and put your initial next to the number, e.g., in the column with Story #8, I would write 3-JLH Put the numbers 8 or 9 on two stories that DID NOT appeal to you and put your initial next to the number Go back and add your preference numbers to your analysis chart
Chart Significant Moments Now brainstorm and complete Life Graph with images and corresponding descriptions in the chart. Do not simply record major family events. The events need to be significant to you and you alone. I will not be fact checking with your family members. This means you can LIE (Logical Interesting Extrapolation). It could have happened to you. Some of the details actually did happen. It could have turned out like this.
Writing the Personal Narrative Pick which In Brief narrative you will be using as a voice and style guide for your own story Create a descriptive, inventive or poignant title for your story Use the In Brief narrative title and author as a bi-line A Fine & Pleasant Misery Patrick F. McManus Inspired by Angela s Ashes by Frank McCourt
Writers Groups Get up and sit at a table that has the title of the story that you will be imitating. Look at it together and determine which characteristics your story should have if you are imitating this one. Each person take notes on back of Life Graph to use as a reference Narrative Voice (1 st mag/min; 3 rd limited omn/obj; 2 nd narrative) Conflict Other characteristics (dialog, symbolism, imagery, paradox, an excerpt from a poem inserted in the midst of the text, vignettes, sentence length, repetition or anaphora, metaphor, analogy, imperative, polysyndeton, lists, etc.)
Rubric Effective 47-50/50 pts Clear and appropriate imitation of In Brief author s style or voice, including perspective Specific, focused details that create fully imaginable setting and character emotion No distracting or major grammatical errors (no SF, CS, RO, SVA, PNA) Adequate 46-43/50 pts Evident attempt to imitate style and voice must with less maturity and control, perspective followed Inconsistently add details to create fully imaginable setting and character emotion No more than two major grammatical errors (SF, CS, RO, SVA, PNA) Inadequate 42-39/50 pts Strained attempt to imitate style and voice, perspective not followed Telling instead of showing; very little detail to suggest setting or emotions More than two major grammatical errors (SF, CS, RO, SVA, PNA) A B C -1 pt for each instruction for paper set-up and content you do not follow