The College Essay English III CP McCook

The College Essay Most college essays take one of two forms: Option 1: More traditional academic essay approach. Starts with a thesis and then uses examples to prove it. Thesis: I want to tell you something about me. Body: Here are some examples to prove that this is true about me. Option 2: A personal narrative. Uses one main story to make a point (thesis) about the person. Body: Here is a story about me. Thesis: This is what the story reveals about me. Both options use some NARRATIVE. I am going to encourage you to try Option 2 which is focused on one narrative.

Narrative Definition: A narrative is a story. To narrate means “to tell, to give an account of.” A narrative essay tells a story, usually of a personal experience, that makes a point or supports a thesis. Forms: Narratives appear in novels, short stories, biographies, college essays, funny stories shared at the lunch table Purpose: A narrative essay re-creates an experience in such a way that your readers can imaginatively participate in it and share it with you.

The College Essay The college essay is a specific brand of narrative essay with a specific audience and purpose. Audience: college admissions officers Purpose: to help colleges know you beyond the stats, to prove that you are a good writer, to sell yourself, to stand out from the crowd (in a good way), TO GET INTO COLLEGE

Introduction Limit the subject: A subject such as your family’s cultural traditions is too broad. Choose one specific incident that reveals something about your family.

Limit the Subject For example, Amy Tan uses the incident when______________________________________ to reveal something about her family’s cultural traditions.

Choose a significant experience: Why did the experience matter to you? Why do you want to tell about it? What did it teach you about yourself? Pick a seemingly small moment in your life that turned out to be significant or valuable later on.

Describe your experience through the five senses: Use specific details: A strong narrative essay is a vivid narrative essay. Use concrete sensory details. Describe your experience through the five senses: Sight Sound Touch Smell Taste

Writing Your Narrative Essay Let’s look at Amy Tan’s essay “Fish Cheeks” to locate some examples of sensory details. Find at least one of each. Sight Sound Touch Smell Taste

Writing Your Narrative Essay What is the effect of all those sensory details? In other words, why would Amy Tan have included these details?

Writing Your Narrative Essay Use language that sounds natural: The language of your narrative should sound more personal than most academic writing but more formal than your lunch table conversation. We want to hear your voice.

Writing Your Narrative Essay Can you use “I” for a narrative essay? Yes! How else will you describe your own experience?

Voice Find a line or two that seems to capture Amy Tan’s voice. Where can you “hear” her through the writing?

Introduction Give order to the narrative: The introduction may set the scene for the story, or give the background – the facts that led to the experience being narrated. Sometimes, a narrative essay doesn’t even have an introduction. Instead, the writer begins with the first event of the story. For example: “There’s a gun at your back. Raise your hands and don’t make a sound,” a harsh voice snarled at me. I raised my hands.

Introduction Take a look at “Fish Cheeks.” What appears in Amy Tan’s introduction? Does she jump right into her story? Does she give us any background information? Do you find her introduction effective? Why or why not?

Body Use Transitions: The organization needs to be chronological. This means you need to present the events in the order in which they occurred. then next soon later at four o’clock on the way back the next morning Looking back now

Body Is Tan’s essay written in chronological order? How do you know? Spot some transitions that Amy Tan uses in “Fish Cheeks.”

Thesis Conclusion A thesis is a sentence that states the main idea (or argument) of your essay. In most academic essays, a thesis is found in the introduction In many narrative essays, however, the thesis appears for the first time in the conclusion. This is where you state the significance of the story you just told. We call this a delayed thesis.

What is Amy Tan’s thesis or insight? Where does this insight occur? This thesis is often expressed as an insight, a new understanding or realization. What is Amy Tan’s thesis or insight? Where does this insight occur? Is the insight presented effectively? Why or why not? What if she moved the insight/thesis to the introduction? What would be lost? What would be gained?

Summary A narrative essay tells a story Most college essays use some narrative Your college essay should have: An incident from your own experience Sensory details to describe that incident An insight gained as a result of this experience Try Option 2: Your college essay is organized chronologically with the thesis or insight in the conclusion

Homework Read the Common Application prompts. Brainstorm some incidents you might use for each prompt. Due tomorrow.