How does conflict lead to change?

A narrative essay is a story. A narrative essay is a piece of writing that recreates an experience through time. A narrative essay can be based on one of your own experiences, either past or present, or it can be based on the experiences of someone else. In addition to telling a story, a narrative essay also communicates a main idea or a lesson learned.

 Narratives are generally written in the first person, that is, using I. However, third person (he, she, it) can also be used.  Narratives rely on details to convey their point. These details should create an effect, or a impression.  Narratives, as stories, should include these story conventions: a plot, including setting and characters; a climax; and an ending.

 How does conflict lead the change?  Background information? ◦ when? ◦ Who? ◦ What? ◦ Where? ◦ Why?  What was the conflict incident?  What did the writer learn?

 Identify the experience that you want to write about.  Think about why the experience is worth writing.  Spend time drafting your recollections about the details of the experience.  Create an outline of the basic parts of your narrative.

 Share an experience that shaped how you see the world and what type of person you are.  Sometimes you show your personality and characteristic in the story/experience. ◦ Showing what you “learned” is important.

 Introduction: to engages the reader’s interest. ◦ The hook. ◦ The middle sentences to provide background information (people, place, time) ◦ Thesis statement, or big idea, to prepare readers for the following action.  Body: to give details about the main event/action. ◦ To describe what happened by time order, including details that bring the story to life.  Conclusion: to describe the outcome. ◦ The comment about what the event showed or taught.

 Appreciate what you have because everything can change in one moment. The experience I had that impacted my life happened in third grade. That year a lot of things changed in my life. They weren’t all good changes either! One experience changed my life forever. That conflict lead to changes that are still impacting my life.

 How does conflict lead the change?  Hook? Background information? Thesis statement, or Big Idea?  What was the writer’s conflict?  What did the writer learn?

 The topic you have chosen must now be explained, described, or argued. Each main idea that you wrote down in your diagram or outline will become one of the body paragraphs. If you had three or four main ideas, you will have three or four body paragraphs. Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure.

◦ Start by writing down one of your main ideas, in complete sentence form. Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea, but leave four or five lines in between each point. ◦ In the space under each point, write down some elaboration for that point. Elaboration can be further description or explanation or discussion. ◦ Once you have fleshed out each of your body paragraphs, one for each main point, you are ready to continue.

 Before the “big event,” my family was pretty happy. We went to parties, hung out with friends, and enjoyed being around each other. All that began to change when my parents started fighting! They argued about money, about friends, about everything. The screaming and yelling seemed to be nonstop! I found my mom crying all the time.

 My father stayed at home less and less. I felt like he didn’t love me anymore. He was never around to talk to, and when he was home, he hung out in the garage banging on his drums. He still lived in the house, but the house was no longer a home.

 My parents almost got divorced. My parents are trying to get along now. But, I don’t know if all the stress and unhappiness I see is worth it. Divorce happens to a lot of families, but which is worse, divorce or living in the same house and having very separate lives?