literacy narrative thesis statement examples

Thesis Statement for Narrative Essay

In a narrative essay, the journey of your story is pivotal, but it’s the thesis statement that gives your tale its essence and purpose. Serving as a guidepost, the thesis captures the core message or emotion, ensuring readers are primed for what’s to come. Whether you’re narrating a personal experience or weaving a fictional tale, your thesis should be clear, evocative, and compelling. Dive in to explore examples, discover writing techniques, and imbibe tips to craft the perfect narrative essay thesis.

What is a Narrative Essay Thesis Statement? – Definition

A narrative essay thesis statement is a concise summary or main point of your personal story or experience. Unlike argumentative or analytical thesis statements, it doesn’t necessarily present an argument or a point of debate. Instead, it sets the tone for the narrative and provides a glimpse into the lesson, theme, or insight the story intends to convey. Essentially, it captures the essence of your narrative and gives readers an idea of what to expect.

What is the Best Thesis Statement Example for Narrative Essay?

While “best” is subjective and can vary based on the specific narrative, a compelling example might be:

“Despite the biting cold and fatigue, reaching the mountain’s summit at sunrise illuminated not just the world below, but also a truth: challenges, no matter how insurmountable, can be conquered with perseverance and a dash of courage.”

This statement provides a hint about the narrative’s setting (mountain summit at sunrise) and its central theme (overcoming challenges through perseverance and courage).

100 Thesis Statement Examples for Narrative Essay

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• “The summer of ’09 wasn’t about the places I went, but the journey of self-discovery I embarked on.”
• “In the midst of city lights, I found solace not in people but in the night’s embrace.”
• “The relentless waves on that fateful day taught me about nature’s might and the fragility of life.”
• “Grandma’s tales, woven with age-old wisdom, became my compass in life’s unpredictable journey.”
• “Amidst the hustle of the market, I learned that life’s most profound lessons can come from unexpected places.”
• “The old treehouse was more than wood and nails; it was a testament to childhood dreams and boundless imagination.”
• “Lost in a foreign land, I discovered the universal language of kindness and smiles.”
• “The train journey painted a tapestry of landscapes, emotions, and fleeting encounters.”
• “Under the autumn sky, I found that letting go can be as beautiful as holding on.”
• “The melody of mom’s lullaby was my anchor in stormy nights and sunny days alike.”
• “A chance encounter in a coffee shop served as a reminder of the serendipities life often throws our way.”
• “As leaves crunched underfoot in the forest, I felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders.”
• “Through the pages of my childhood diary, I journeyed back to dreams forgotten and hopes untarnished.”
• “In the quiet corridors of the museum, art whispered tales of ages gone and worlds unseen.”
• “The mountain’s shadow at dusk taught me that even in darkness, there’s an inherent light waiting to shine.”
• “At the crossroads of choices, I found that destiny is but a collaboration between chance and decision.”
• “Amongst the ruins of ancient cities, I felt the pulse of time and the stories etched in stone.”
• “The carnival’s lights and sounds were a dance of joy, chaos, and the spectrum of human emotions.”
• “In the heart of winter, I learned that endings often herald new beginnings.”
• “The winding path through the meadow was a reminder that life’s journeys are seldom straight.”
• “By the lakeside, with ripples as companions, I understood the profoundness of simple moments.”
• “In the silence of the library, words spoke louder, echoing tales and truths of generations.”
• “The chrysalis’s metamorphosis mirrored my own transformation – from doubt to self-belief.”
• “As sand slipped through my fingers, I grasped the fleeting nature of time.”
• “The orchestra’s crescendo was a celebration of unity, diversity, and the magic of coming together.”
• “Within the walls of my childhood home, memories played in vivid colors and comforting echoes.”
• “The pathway lit by fireflies was an enchanting journey through nature’s wonders.”
• “On the city’s outskirts, the countryside taught me about life’s simple pleasures and unadulterated joys.”
• “The ocean’s horizon was an emblem of endless possibilities and adventures yet to unfold.”
• “Amidst the symphony of raindrops, I found rhythm, solace, and life’s refreshing melodies.”
• “In the tapestry of the bustling bazaar, every thread wove a story of hopes, dreams, and daily triumphs.”
• “Racing against the wind on that hilltop, I felt an exhilarating freedom and the weightlessness of being.”
• “Beneath the canopy of stars, I was a mere speck, yet infinitely connected to the vast universe.”
• “The gentle hum of the countryside at dawn brought lessons of patience and the beauty of the mundane.”
• “As snowflakes adorned the earth, I was reminded of nature’s ability to transform the familiar into wonder.”
• “Locked in a dance with my shadow, I confronted my fears and emerged stronger.”
• “Every stroke of my paintbrush on canvas was a step towards understanding my inner chaos and colors.”
• “The aroma from grandma’s kitchen wasn’t just about food, but a mix of tradition, love, and cherished memories.”
• “Navigating the city’s labyrinthine alleys, I discovered hidden gems and facets of my own adaptability.”
• “With every sunset on the beach, I learned about endings, reflections, and the promise of tomorrow.”
• “Amidst the pages of an old book, I embarked on journeys to realms unknown and feelings unexplored.”
• “The echo in the valley wasn’t mere sound; it was nature’s way of teaching me about resonance and reactions.”
• “In the theater’s dim light, the play unraveled not just a story but facets of human emotions and complexities.”
• “On the rollercoaster, as I soared and plunged, I experienced the highs and lows of life in mere minutes.”
• “Gazing into the campfire’s flames, I saw tales of passion, change, and the cyclical nature of existence.”
• “The footsteps on a snow-clad path were more than impressions; they were my journey’s evolving narrative.”
• “In the ruins of an old castle, I felt the weight of history and the stories that walls can whisper.”
• “The kaleidoscope wasn’t just a toy, but a lesson on perspective and the ever-changing patterns of life.”
• “Aboard the night train, every passing landscape and shadow spoke of transitions and the journey of life.”
• “The empty theater, with its echoing silence, taught me about presence, absence, and the spaces in between.”
• “Gazing at my reflection in the serene lake, I pondered on identity, change, and the depths beneath the surface.”
• “The forgotten trail in the forest was a testament to nature’s resilience and life’s unexpected detours.”
• “On the pottery wheel, molding clay, I understood the balance of control, creativity, and surrender.”
• “Within the confines of a photograph, I found a world of memories, emotions, and frozen moments.”
• “Beneath the city’s neon lights, I discovered a mosaic of dreams, struggles, and undying hopes.
• “Sailing on the tranquil sea, each wave whispered tales of depth, vastness, and the mysteries of the deep.”
• “The aroma of the first rain on parched earth wasn’t just a scent, but a renewal of life’s promises.”
• “Through the corridors of my old school, I journeyed back in time, reliving lessons beyond textbooks.”
• “The meandering river, with its twists and turns, mirrored life’s unpredictability and the beauty of going with the flow.”
• “The intricate dance of fireflies on a summer night showcased nature’s synchronicity and the magic of small wonders.”
• “In the heart of the desert, amidst endless sands, I realized the value of persistence and the oasis of hope.”
• “Each note from the old piano was more than a sound; it was an echo of love, memories, and bygone days.”
• “Scaling the urban walls, the graffiti wasn’t mere paint; it was a voice, a rebellion, and a canvas of urban tales.”
• “The ancient bridge, standing tall against time, was a testament to endurance, connections, and bridging divides.”
• “Beneath the wizened banyan tree, I found tales of time, roots of wisdom, and the shade of legacy.”
• “The labyrinth of mirrors in the carnival wasn’t just a maze but a reflection on perspectives, realities, and self-discovery.”
• “On the cobbled streets of the old town, every stone had a story, an echo of footsteps from a time long gone.”
• “The spectrum of autumn leaves was not just a display of colors but a lesson in change, acceptance, and renewal.”
• “The cocoon, in its silent transformation, taught me about growth, patience, and the wings of change.”
• “In the stillness of the frozen lake, I saw beauty in pauses, depths in calm, and the strength beneath the surface.”
• “The mosaic on the cathedral floor wasn’t just art; it was a confluence of faith, history, and countless footprints.”
• “The whispering winds atop the cliff carried tales of freedom, infinity, and the wild dance of nature.”
• “The diary, with its faded pages, was a portal to youthful dreams, heartaches, and the purity of first experiences.”
• “Amidst the bustling market square, I discerned life’s barter of dreams, efforts, and the currency of human connections.”
• “The silhouette of birds at dusk was a painting of transitions, homeward journeys, and the cyclic rhythm of days.
• “Walking through the quiet library halls, I felt a silent dialogue with countless authors, ideas, and epochs gone by.”
• “The symphony of the city, from honks to hushed whispers, was an orchestra of life’s chaos and harmonies.”
• “Each footprint on the moonlit beach spoke of transient moments, eternal tides, and the dance of time.”
• “The annual rings on the old tree stump bore witness to seasons, storms, and the silent growth of years.”
• “With every strike of the blacksmith’s hammer, metal sang a song of transformation, will, and fiery passion.”
• “The abandoned mansion, with its cobwebbed chandeliers, whispered tales of opulence, time’s decay, and forgotten tales.”
• “The tapestry of constellations in the night sky wasn’t just stars; it was a map of dreams, myths, and cosmic wonder.”
• “Amidst the pages of a handwritten letter, I found not just words, but heartbeats, distance, and undying bonds.”
• “The vintage carousel, with its painted horses, spun tales of childhood, nostalgia, and the cycles of joy.”
• “On the fog-covered moors, every misty silhouette held a mystery, an allure of the unknown, and nature’s veiled beauty.”
• “The keys of the old typewriter were more than letters; they were conduits of emotions, stories, and a bygone era’s charm.”
• “In the quiet of the woods, every rustling leaf and chirping cricket sang a lullaby of nature’s embrace and serenades.”
• “The tapestries in the old hall weren’t just decor; they were woven tales of valor, love, and historical tapestry.”
• “The chessboard, in its monochrome squares, was a battlefield of strategies, patience, and life’s checkmates.”
• “Amid the hustle of the train station, every departure and arrival was a chapter of hellos, goodbyes, and life’s journeys.”
• “The blooming lotus in the muck was not just flora; it epitomized resilience, beauty in adversity, and nature’s wisdom.”
• “The street musician, with his soulful tunes, strummed stories of dreams, hustle, and the universal language of music.”
• “Gazing at the distant mountains, I saw challenges, majesty, and the alluring call of horizons yet explored.”
• “The hourglass, with its fleeting sands, was a silent reminder of time’s passage, moments grasped, and the inevitability of change.”
• “In the rhythm of the heartbeat, I heard life’s cadence, fragility, and the unyielding pulse of existence.
• “The echoing chime of the ancient bell tower wasn’t just a sound; it was a call to remembrance, history, and moments that once were.”
• “The cascade of water in the hidden waterfall narrated tales of nature’s might, hidden gems, and the music of wilderness.”
• “As petals unfurled in the first bloom of spring, I saw life’s rebirth, new beginnings, and the eternal cycle of existence.”
• “Amidst the ruins of a forgotten citadel, I felt the palpable presence of erstwhile grandeur, time’s passage, and stories etched in stone.”
• “The winding pathways of the old garden maze weren’t just hedges; they symbolized life’s puzzles, choices, and the thrill of discovery.

Crafting narrative essay thesis statements is an art of encapsulating vast experiences, emotions, and lessons into a singular, guiding sentence. Each statement becomes the beacon, illuminating the depths of the tale, ensuring that readers are anchored and deeply engaged, from the first word to the last.

Thesis Statement Examples for Personal Narrative Essay

Narrative essays centered around personal experiences often dive deep into emotions, lessons, and realizations. A Good thesis statement acts as a snapshot of the core emotion or takeaway, allowing readers a quick glimpse into the writer’s soulful journey.

• “In my quest for my family roots, I unearthed more than lineage; I discovered stories that defined generations.”
• “Living in four countries in five years taught me resilience, adaptability, and the universal language of kindness.”
• “Adopting Luna wasn’t just about getting a pet; it was a lesson in love, responsibility, and understanding life through feline eyes.”
• “The summer of ’89 wasn’t just a season; it was my initiation into the world of rock music, rebellion, and teenage epiphanies.”
• “Learning to dance was never just about the steps; it was my journey of embracing imperfections and finding rhythm in chaos.”
• “As a caregiver to my grandmother, I realized that roles reverse, and sometimes, love means becoming a parent to your parent.”
• “Backpacking solo taught me more about self-reliance, the beauty of fleeting encounters, and the silent revelations in solitude.”
• “Battling an illness wasn’t just a physical challenge; it was an emotional odyssey of fears, hope, and rediscovering inner strength.”
• “Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro wasn’t just about reaching the summit; it was a metaphorical ascent of confronting my fears and limitations.”
• “Building my first robot was not just an academic project; it was a dance of creativity, failures, and the magic of invention.”

Thesis Statement Examples for Narrative Essay Writing

Narrative essay writing captures moments, stories, or experiences with a wider scope, often resonating with universal truths. The Strong thesis statement must encapsulate the essence, laying down the central theme or emotion the narrative seeks to convey.

• “The city’s heartbeat at midnight is more than nightlife; it’s an orchestra of dreams, hustlers, and silent wishes under the stars.”
• “The forest, with its myriad sounds, isn’t just nature’s realm; it’s a symphony of life, balance, and unspoken tales.”
• “A potter’s wheel doesn’t just shape clay; it’s a dance of hands, earth, and the beautiful journey of creation.”
• “Festivals in a multicultural neighborhood aren’t just about celebrations; they’re a tapestry of traditions, unity in diversity, and the magic of shared joys.”
• “The old bookstore, with its musty pages, wasn’t just a shop; it was a treasure trove of histories, fantasies, and timeless conversations.”
• “Watching a total solar eclipse isn’t just an astronomical event; it’s a humbling spectacle of cosmic alignments, darkness, and ethereal light.”
• “A farmer’s day isn’t just about toil; it’s a testament to patience, harmony with earth, and the silent prayer for bounty.”
• “Ancient monuments aren’t just stone and art; they are timekeepers, storytellers, and guardians of civilizations long gone.”
• “Migratory birds, with their seasonal journeys, don’t just traverse distances; they weave a tale of instinct, survival, and the incredible navigational wonders of nature.”
• “The vibrant hues of a sunset aren’t merely a visual delight; they paint the sky with the day’s adieu, promises of tomorrow, and the cyclical dance of time.

How do you write a thesis for a narrative essay? – Step by Step Guide

• Identify the Central Theme or Message: Before you write your thesis, ask yourself: what is the main point or message I want to convey through my narrative essay?
• Be Precise: A thesis statement should be a concise sentence or two that clearly outlines the main point or message of your essay. Avoid unnecessary words or overly complex sentences.
• Position Appropriately: Although narrative essays are flexible, it’s common to place the thesis statement at the end of the introduction, setting the scene for the narrative to unfold.
• Connect Emotionally: Given that narrative essays often delve into personal experiences, it’s important for your thesis to evoke emotion or a sense of anticipation in the reader.
• Ensure It’s Debatable: Even though it’s a narrative essay, your thesis should still be debatable. This doesn’t mean it should be controversial, but rather it should encourage readers to think or feel a certain way.
• Revise as Needed: As you develop your narrative, you might find your focus shifting slightly. Make sure to adjust your thesis accordingly to ensure it aligns with the content of your essay.
• Seek Feedback: Share your thesis with peers or mentors to get their perspective. Sometimes, an outsider’s view can provide clarity.

Can a narrative essay have a thesis statement?

Absolutely! While narrative essays primarily tell a story or share an experience, a thesis statement offers readers a preview of the essay’s main theme or message. It provides direction and sets the tone for the entire narrative. Even though it’s not argumentative in nature, a thesis in a narrative essay effectively conveys the essay’s purpose or the writer’s reason for telling that particular story. It serves as an anchor, ensuring the narrative remains centered on its core message.

Tips for Writing a Personal Essay Thesis Statement

• Introspect: Before you begin, spend some time introspecting. Understand the main emotion, lesson, or realization you want to convey. This will become the foundation of your thesis.
• Be Authentic: Personal essays are about real experiences and feelings. Ensure your thesis genuinely represents your thoughts and isn’t something you believe readers will want to hear.
• Use Active Voice: Active voice makes your statement sound assertive and clear. This clarity is essential for readers to grasp the main idea immediately.
• Avoid Clichés: While it can be tempting to use commonly accepted phrases or ideas, originality will make your thesis and essay more memorable.
• Stay Relevant: Ensure your thesis is directly relevant to the personal narrative you’re sharing. Every part of your essay should reflect or relate back to the thesis.
• Seek Clarity: A good thesis is not about using highfalutin words. It’s about being clear and precise, ensuring readers instantly understand the essay’s central theme.
• Test Your Thesis: Before finalizing, ask yourself: “If someone reads only my thesis statement, will they understand the crux of my personal essay?” If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track.

Thesis Statement Generator for Narrative Essay

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English 110 Freshman Composition

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” ― Octavia E. Butler

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Writing a Literacy Narrative

Writing a Literacy Narrative  Narratives are stories, and we read and tell them for many different purposes. Parents read their children bedtime stories as an evening ritual. Preachers base their Sunday sermons on Bible stories to teach the importance of religious faith. Grandparents tell how things used to be (sometimes the same stories year after year). Schoolchildren tell teachers that their dog ate their homework. College applicants write about significant moments in their lives. Writing students are often called upon to compose literacy narratives to explore how they learned to read or write. This chapter provides detailed guidelines for writing a literacy narrative. Here is an example. 

SHANNON NICHOLS “Proficiency”

In the following literacy narrative, Shannon Nichols, a student at Wright State University, describes her experience taking the standardized writing proficiency test that high school students in Ohio must pass to graduate. She wrote this essay for a college writing course, where her audience included her classmates and instructor.

The first time I took the ninth-grade proficiency test was in March of eighth grade. The test ultimately determines whether students may receive a high school diploma. After months of preparation and anxiety, the pressure was on. Throughout my elementary and middle school years, I was a strong student, always on the honor roll. I never had a GPA below 3.0. I was smart, and I knew it. That is, until I got the results of the proficiency test.  Although the test was challenging, covering reading, writing, math, and citizenship, I was sure I had passed every part. To my surprise, I did pass every part—except writing. “Writing! Yeah right! How did I manage to fail writing, and by half a point, no less?” I thought to myself in disbelief. Seeing my test results brought tears to my eyes. I honestly could not believe it. To make matters worse, most of my classmates, including some who were barely passing eighth-grade English, passed that part.  Until that time, I loved writing just as much as I loved math. It was one of my strengths. I was good at it, and I enjoyed it. If anything, I thought I might fail citizenship. How could I have screwed up writing? I surely spelled every word correctly, used good grammar, and even used big words in the proper context. How could I have failed?  Finally I got over it and decided it was no big deal. Surely I would pass the next time. In my honors English class I worked diligently, passing with an A. By October I’d be ready to conquer that writing test. Well, guess what? I failed the test again, again with only 4.5 of the 5 points needed to pass. That time I did cry, and even went to my English teacher, Mrs. Brown, and asked, “How can I get A’s in all my English classes but fail the writing part of the proficiency test twice?” She couldn’t answer my question. Even my friends and classmates were confused. I felt like a failure. I had disappointed my family and seriously let myself down. Worst of all, I still couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong.  I decided to quit trying so hard. Apparently—I told myself—the people grading the tests didn’t have the slightest clue about what constituted good writing. I continued to excel in class and passed the test on the third try. But I never again felt the same love of reading and writing.  This experience showed me just how differently my writing could be judged by various readers. Obviously all my English teachers and many others enjoyed or at least appreciated my writing. A poem I wrote was put on television once. I must have been a pretty good writer. Unfortunately the graders of the ninth-grade proficiency test didn’t feel the same, and when students fail the test, the state of Ohio doesn’t offer any explanation.  After I failed the test the first time, I began to hate writing, and I started to doubt myself. I doubted my ability and the ideas I wrote about. Failing the second time made things worse, so perhaps to protect myself from my doubts, I stopped taking English seriously. Perhaps because of that lack of seriousness, I earned a 2 on the Advanced Placement English Exam, barely passed the twelfth-grade proficiency test, and was placed in developmental writing in college. I wish I knew why I failed that test, because then I might have written what was expected on the second try, maintained my enthusiasm for writing, and continued to do well.

Nichols ‘ s narrative focuses on her emotional reaction to failing a test that she should have passed easily. The contrast between her demonstrated writing ability and her repeated failures creates a tension that captures readers ‘  attention. We want to know what will happen to her.   Key Features / Literacy Narratives  A well-told story.  As with most narratives, those about literacy often set up some sort of situation that needs to be resolved. That need for resolution makes readers want to keep reading. We want to know whether Nichols ultimately will pass the proficiency test. Some literacy narratives simply explore the role that reading or writing played at some time in someone’s life—assuming, perhaps, that learning to read or write is a challenge to be met.  Vivid detail.  Details can bring a narrative to life for readers by giving them vivid mental images of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the world in which your story takes place. The details you use when describing something can help readers picture places, people, and events; dialogue can help them hear what is being said. We get a picture of the only treasure Bragg has ever known through the details he provides: “a water-damaged Faulkner,” “a paperback with two naked women on the cover,” books “wrapped in fake leather.” Similarly, we hear a three-yearold’s exasperation through his own words: “I’d like to see a menu.” Dialogue can help bring a narrative to life.  Some indication of the narrative’s significance.  By definition, a literacy narrative tells something the writer remembers about learning to read or write. In addition, the writer needs to make clear why the incident matters to him or her. You may reveal its significance in various ways. Nichols does it when she says she no longer loves to read or write. Bragg is more direct when he tells us he would not trade the books for a gold monkey. The trick is to avoid tacking onto the end a statement about your narrative’s significance as if it were a kind of moral of the story. Bragg’s narrative would have far less power if he’d said, “Thus did my father teach me to value books of all kinds.” 

A GUIDE TO WRITING A LITERACY NARRATIVE Choosing a Topic  In general, it’s a good idea to focus on a single event that took place during a relatively brief period of time. For example: 

• any early memory about writing or reading that you recall vividly
• someone who taught you to read or write
• a book or other text that has been significant for you in some way
• an event at school that was interesting, humorous, or embarrassing
• a writing or reading task that you found (or still find) difficult or challenging
• a memento that represents an important moment in your literacy development (perhaps the start of a  LITERACY PORTFOLIO )
• the origins of your current attitudes about writing or reading
• perhaps more recent challenges: learning to write instant messages, learning to write email appropriately, learning to construct a Web page

Make a list of possible topics, and then choose one that you think will be interesting to you and to others—and that you’re willing to share with others. If several seem promising, try them out on a friend or classmate. Or just choose one and see where it leads; you can switch to another if need be. If you have trouble coming up with a topic, try  FREEWRITING,   LISTING,   CLUSTERING,  or  LOOPING.   Considering the Rhetorical Situation

Generating Ideas and Text  Good literacy narratives share certain elements that make them interesting and compelling for readers. Remember that your goals are to tell the story as clearly and vividly as you can and to convey the meaning the incident has for you today. Start by writing out what you remember about the setting and those involved, perhaps trying out some of the methods in the chapter on  GENERATING IDEAS AND TEXT.  You may also want to  INTERVIEW  a teacher or parent who figures in your narrative.  Describe the setting. Where does your narrative take place? List the places where your story unfolds. For each place, write informally for a few minutes,  DESCRIBING  what you remember: 

• What do you see?  If you’re inside, what color are the walls? What’s hanging on them? What can you see out any windows? What else do you see? Books? Lined paper? Red ink? Are there people? Places to sit?
• What do you hear?  A radiator hissing? Air conditioners? Leaves rustling? The wind howling? Rain? Someone reading aloud? Shouts? Cheers? Children playing? Music? The zing of an instant message arriving?
• What do you smell?  Sweat? White paste? Perfume? Incense? Food cooking?
• How and what do you feel?  Nervous? Happy? Cold? Hot? A scratchy wool sweater? Tight shoes? Rough wood on a bench?
• What do you taste?  Gum? Mints? Graham crackers? Juice? Coffee?

Think about the key people. Narratives include people whose actions play an important role in the story. In your literacy narrative, you are probably one of those people. A good way to develop your understanding of the people in your narrative is to write about them: 

• Describe each person in a paragraph or so. What do the people look like? How do they dress? How do they speak? Quickly? Slowly? With an accent? Do they speak clearly, or do they mumble? Do they use any distinctive words or phrases? You might begin by  DESCRIBING  their movements, their posture, their bearing, their facial expressions. Do they have a distinctive scent?
• Recall (or imagine) some characteristic dialogue. A good way to bring people to life and move a story along is with  DIALOGUE,  to let readers hear them rather than just hearing about them. Try writing six to ten lines of dialogue between two people in your narrative. If you can’t remember an actual conversation, make up one that could have happened. (After all, you are telling the story, and you get to decide how it is to be told.) If you don’t recall a conversation, try to remember (and write down) some of the characteristic words or phrases that the people in your narrative used.

Write about “what happened.” At the heart of every good narrative is the answer to the question “What happened?” The action in a literacy  NARRATIVE  may be as dramatic as winning a spelling bee or as subtle as a conversation between two friends; both contain action, movement, or change that the narrative tries to capture for readers. A good story dramatizes the action. Try  SUMMARIZING  the action in your narrative in a paragraph—try to capture what happened. Use active and specific verbs (pondered, shouted, laughed) to describe the action as vividly as possible.  Consider the significance of the narrative.  You need to make clear the ways in which any event you are writing about is significant for you now. Write a page or so about the meaning it has for you. How did it change or otherwise affect you? What aspects of your life now can you trace to that event? How might your life have been different if this event had not happened or had turned out differently? Why does this story matter to you?  Ways of Organizing a Literacy Narrative  Start by  OUTLINING  the main events in your narrative. Then think about how you want to tell the story. Don’t assume that the only way to tell your story is just as it happened. That’s one way—starting at the beginning of the action and continuing to the end. But you could also start in the middle—or even at the end. Shannon Nichols, for example, could have begun her narrative by telling how she finally passed the proficiency test and then gone back to tell about the times she tried to pass it, even as she was an A student in an honors English class. Several ways of organizing a narrative follow. 

Writing Out a Draft  Once you have generated ideas and thought about how you want to organize your narrative, it’s time to begin  DRAFTING.  Do this quickly—try to write a complete draft in one sitting, concentrating on getting the story on paper or screen and on putting in as much detail as you can. Some writers find it helpful to work on the beginning or ending first.  Draft a beginning. A good narrative grabs readers’ attention right from the start. Here are some ways of beginning; you can find more advice in the chapter on beginning and ending. 

• Jump right in. Sometimes you may want to get to the main action as quickly as possible. Nichols, for example, begins as she takes the ninth-grade proficiency test for the first time.
• Describe the context. You may want to provide any background information at the start of your narrative, as I decided to do, beginning by explaining how my grandmother taught me to read.
• Describe the setting, especially if it’s important to the narrative. Bragg begins by describing the small Alabama town where his father lived.

Draft an ending. Think about what you want your readers to read last. An effective ending helps them understand the meaning of your narrative. Here are some possibilities; look also at the chapter on beginning and ending. 

• End where your story ends.  It’s up to you to decide where a narrative ends. Bragg’s story ends with him standing in front of a pile of books; mine ends several years after it begins, with my graduation from college.
• Say something about the significance of your narrative.  Nichols observes that she no longer loves to read or write, for example. The trick is to touch upon the narrative’s significance without stating it too directly, like the moral of a fable.
• Refer back to the beginning.  My narrative ends with my grandmother watching me graduate from college; Nichols ends by contemplating the negative effects of failing the proficiency test.
• End on a surprising note.  Bragg catches our attention when his father gives him the boxes of books—and leaves us with a complicated image to ponder.

Come up with a title. A good title indicates something about the subject of your narrative—and makes readers want to take a look. Nichols’s title states her subject, “Proficiency,” but she also puts the word in quotes, calling it into question in a way that might make readers wonder—and read on. I focus on the significance of my narrative: “How I Learned about the Power of Writing.” Bragg takes his title from something memorable his father said: “It’s all over but the shoutin.’ ” See the section on guiding your reader for more advice on titles.  Considering Matters of Design  You’ll probably write your narrative in paragraph form, but think about the information you’re presenting and how you can design it to enhance your story and appeal to your audience. 

• Would it help your readers if you added headings in order to divide your narrative into shorter sections?
• Would photographs or other visuals show details better than you can describe them with words alone? If you’re writing about learning to read, for example, you might scan in an image of one of the first books you read in order to help readers picture it. Or if your topic is learning to write, you could include something you wrote.

Getting Response and Revising  The following questions can help you study your draft with a critical eye.  GETTING RESPONSE  from others is always good, and these questions can guide their reading, too. Make sure they know your purpose and audience. 

• Do the title and first few sentences make readers want to read on? If not, how else might you begin?
• Does the narrative move from beginning to end clearly? Does it flow, and are there effective transitions? Does the narrative get sidetracked at any point?
• Is anything confusing?
• Is there enough detail, and is it interesting? Is there enough information about the setting and the people? Can readers picture the characters and sense what they’re like as people? Would it help to add some dialogue, so that readers can “hear” them? Will they be able to imagine the setting?
• Have you made the situation meaningful enough to make readers wonder and care about what will happen?
• Do you narrate any actions clearly? vividly? Does the action keep readers engaged?
• Is the significance of the narrative clear?
• Does the narrative end in a satisfying way? What are readers left thinking?

The preceding questions should identify aspects of your narrative you need to work on. When it’s time to  REVISE, make sure your text appeals to your audience and achieves your purpose as successfully as possible.  Editing and Proofreading  Readers equate correctness with competence. Once you’ve revised your draft, follow these guidelines for  EDITING  a narrative: 

• Make sure events are  NARRATED  in a clear order and include appropriate time markers,  TRANSITIONS,  and summary phrases to link the parts and show the passing of time.
• Be careful that verb tenses are consistent throughout. If you write your narrative in the past tense (“he taught me how to use a computer”), be careful not to switch to the present (“So I look at him and say . . . “) along the way.
• Check to see that verb tenses correctly indicate when an action took place. If one action took place before another action in the past, you should use the past perfect tense: “I forgot to dot my i’s, a mistake I had made many times.”
• Punctuate  DIALOGUE  correctly. Whenever someone speaks, surround the speech with quotation marks (“No way,” I said.). Periods and commas go inside quotation marks; exclamation points and question marks go inside if they’re part of the quotation, outside if they’re part of the whole sentence:

Inside: Opening the door, Ms. Cordell announced, “Pop quiz!”  Outside: It wasn’t my intention to announce, “I hate to read”!

• PROOFREAD  your finished narrative carefully before turning it in.

Taking Stock of Your Work 

• How well do you think you told the story?
• What did you do especially well?
• What could still be improved?
• How did you go about coming up with ideas and generating text?
• How did you go about drafting your narrative?
• Did you use photographs or any other graphics? What did they add? Can you think of graphics you might have used?
• How did others’ responses influence your writing?
• What would you do differently next time?

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English Writing Guide

• Literacy Narrative
• Visual Analysis
• Rhetorical Analysis
• Argument Research Paper
• The Writing Handbook
• Using the Library

Attribution

This guide is adapted from the Writing Guide with Handbook by OpenStax .

What is a literacy narrative?

• The Writing Guide: Literacy Narrative Link to the online, interactive chapter on Literacy Narrative.
• Literacy Narrative Chapter 3 from The Writing Guide As a PDF for downloading or printing.

Topics Covered

• Identity and Expression
• Literacy Narrative Trailblazer: Tara Westover
• Glance at Genre: The Literacy Narrative
• Annotated Sample Reading: from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
• Writing Process: Tracing the Beginnings of Literacy
• Editing Focus: Sentence Structure
• Evaluation: Self-Evaluating
• Spotlight on … The Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives (DALN)
• Portfolio: A Literacy Artifact
• Lecture Slides for Literacy Narrative As a PDF for downloading or printing.
• How to Write a Literacy Narrative Guide with exercises to assist you in writing a literacy narrative.
• Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives The DALN is an open public resource made up of stories from people just like you about their experiences learning to read, write, and generally communicate with the world around them.
• Next: Visual Analysis >>
• Last Updated: Jan 12, 2024 7:36 AM
• URL: https://library.jeffersonstate.edu/Writing-Guide-OpenStax

How to Write a Literacy Narrative Essay | Guide & Examples

14 April 2024

last updated

Mastering an art of writing requires students to have a guideline of how to write a good literacy narrative essay, emphasizing the details they should consider. This article begins by defining this type of academic document, its distinctive features, and its unique structure. Moreover, the guideline teaches students how to choose some topics and provides a sample outline and an example of a literacy narrative essay. Other crucial information is the technical details writers should focus on when writing a document, 10 things to do and not to do, and essential tips for producing a high-standard text. Therefore, reading this guideline benefits students and others because one gains critical insights that help to start writing a literacy narrative essay and want to meet a scholarly standard.

General Aspects of How to Write an Outstanding Literacy Narrative Essay

Learning how to write many types of essays should be a priority for any student hoping to be intellectually sharp. Besides being an exercise for academic assessment, writing is a platform for developing mental faculties, including intellect, memory, imagination, reason, and intuition. This guideline of how to write a literacy narrative, and this type of essay requires students to tell their story through the text. It defines a literacy narrative, distinctive text features, unique structure, possible topics students can choose from, and the technicality of writing this kind of text. There is also a sample outline and an example of a good literacy narrative essay. Hence, this guideline gives students critical insights for writing a high-standard literacy narrative essay.

Definition of What Is a Literacy Narrative Essay and Its Meaning

A literacy narrative is an essay that tells the writer’s personal story. It differs from other types of papers , including an argumentative essay , an analytical essay , a cause and effect essay , a report , or a research paper . While these other texts require students to borrow information from different sources to strengthen a thesis statement and back up claims, a literacy narrative means that students narrate an experience or event that has impacted them significantly. In other words, writers focus on one or several aspects of their lives and construct a story through the text. Therefore, when writing a literacy narrative essay, students should examine and reexamine their life course to identify experiences, events, or issues that stand out because they were pleasant or unpleasant. After identifying a memorable aspect of their life, students should use their accumulated knowledge to construct a narrative through speaking, reading, or writing.

Distinctive Features of a Literacy Narrative Essay

Every type of scholarly text has distinctive features that differentiate it from others. While some features may be standard among academic papers, most are not. Therefore, when writing a literacy narrative essay, students must first familiarize themselves with the features that make this kind of document distinct from others, like reports and research papers. With such knowledge, writers can know when to use an element when telling their personal stories through writing. Some distinctive features of a literacy narrative essay include a personal tone, a private tale, descriptive language, show-not-tell, active voice, similes and metaphors, and dialogue .

💠 Personal Tone

A personal tone is a quality that makes a narrative personal, meaning it is the writer telling the story. In this respect, students should use the first-person language, such as ‘I’ and ‘we,’ throughout the story. Using these terms makes the audience realize that the story is about the writer and those close to them, such as family, peers, and colleagues. The value of using a personal tone in writing a literacy narrative essay is that it reinforces the story’s theme, such as celebration or tragedy. In essence, people hearing, listening, or reading the story can appreciate its direct effect on the reader, speaker, or writer.

💠 Private Story

The essence of a literacy narrative essay is to tell a personal story. In this respect, telling people about a private experience, event, or issue gives this kind of text a narrative identity. Although the story people tell need not be about them, they must have been witnesses. For example, one can write a literacy narrative essay about their worst experience after joining college. Such a narrative should tell a private story involving the writer directly. Alternatively, people can write a literacy narrative essay about the day they witnessed corruption in public office. Such a narrative should not necessarily focus on the writer but on corrupt individuals in public office. Therefore, a private story should have the writer as the central character or a witness to an event.

💠 Descriptive Language

Since a literacy narrative essay is about a personal, private story that tells the writer’s experience, it is critical to provide details that help the audience to identify with the experience. Individuals can only do this activity by using descriptive language in their stories because the audience uses the information to imagine what they hear or read. An example of descriptive language is where, instead of writing, “I passed my aunt by the roadside as I headed home to inform others about the event,” one should write, “As I headed home to inform others about the happening, I came across my aunt standing on the roadside with a village elder in what seemed like a deep conversation about the event that had just transpired.” This latter statement is rich with information the audience can use to imagine the situation.

💠 Show-Not-Tell

A literacy narrative essay aims to help the audience to recreate the writer’s experience in their minds. As such, they focus less on telling the audience what happened and more on ‘showing’ them how events unfolded. A practical method for doing this activity is comprehensively narrating experiences and events. For example, authors should not just write about how an experience made them feel, but they should be thorough in their narration by telling how the feeling affected them, such as influencing them to do something. As a result, a literacy narrative essay allows writers to show the audience how past experiences, events, or situations affected them or influenced their worldviews.

💠 Active Voice

Academic writing conventions demand that students write non-scientific scholarly documents, including literacy narrative essays, in the active voice, meaning writing in a form where the subject of a sentence performs the action. Practically, it should follow the following format: subject + verb + object. For example, this arrangement makes the sentence easy to read but, most importantly, keeps meanings in sentences clear and avoids complicating sentences or making them too wordy. The opposite of the active voice is the passive voice, which is common in scientific papers. The following sentence exemplifies the active voice: “The young men helped the old lady climb the stairs.” A passive voice would read: “The old woman was helped by the young men to climb up the stairs.” As is evidence, the active voice is simple, straightforward, and short as opposed to the passive voice.

💠 Similes and Metaphors

Similes and metaphors are literary devices or figures of speech writers use to compare two things that are not alike in literacy narrative essays. The point of difference between these aspects is that similes compare two things by emphasizing one thing is like something else, while metaphors emphasize one thing is something else. Simply put, similes use the terms ‘is like’ or ‘is as…as’ to emphasize comparison between two things. A metaphor uses the word ‘is’ to highlight the comparison. Therefore, when writing a literary narrative essay, students should incorporate similes by saying, “Friendship is like a flowery garden,” meaning friendship is pleasant. An example of a metaphor one can use is the statement: “My uncle’s watch is a dinosaur,” meaning it is ancient, a relic.

Dialogue is communication between two or more people familiar with plays, films, or novels. The purpose of this kind of communication is to show the importance of an issue to different people. Generally, discussions are the most common platforms for dialogue because individuals can speak their minds and hear what others say about the same problem. Dialogue is a distinctive feature of a literacy narrative essay because it allows writers to show-not-tell. Authors can show readers how their interaction with someone moved from pleasant to unpleasant through dialogue. Consequently, dialogue can help readers to understand the writer’s attitudes, mindset, or state of mind during an event described in the text. As such, incorporating a dialogue in a literacy narrative essay makes the text personal to the writer and descriptive to the reader.

Unique Structure of a Literacy Narrative Essay

Besides the distinctive features above, a literacy narrative is distinct from other types of scholarly documents because it has a unique essay structure . In academic writing, a text’s structure denotes essay outline that writers adopt to produce the work. For example, it is common knowledge that essays should have three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion . In the same way, literacy narratives, which also follow this outline, have a structure, which students should demonstrate in the body. The structure addresses a literacy issue, solution, lesson, and summary . This structure allows writers to produce a coherent paper that readers find to have a logical flow of ideas.

1️⃣ Literacy Issue

A literacy issue signifies a problem or struggles for the writer and is the personal or private issue that the narrative focuses on. Ideally, students use this issue to give the audience a sneak peek into their personalities and private life. Most literacy issues are personal experiences involving a problem or struggle and their effect on the writer and those close to them, like family members or friends. Therefore, when writing a literacy narrative essay, students should identify personal problems or struggles in their past and make them the paper’s focal subject.

2️⃣ Solution

The solution element in a literacy narrative essay describes how writers overcame their problems or managed personal struggles. Simply put, it is where authors tell and show readers how they solved the personal, private issue that is the paper’s subject. Such information is crucial to readers because they need to know what happened to the writer, who they see as the hero or protagonist of the story. For example, literacy narratives are informative because they show the audience how writers dealt with a problem or struggle and how they can use the same strategy to overcome their examples. From this perspective, students should write a literacy narrative essay to inform and empower readers through insights that are relevant and applicable to one’s life.

The lesson element is the message readers get from the writer’s narrative about a literacy issue and its solution. For example, students can talk about how lacking confidence affects their social life by undermining their ability to create and nurture friendships. This problem is personal and becomes a literacy issue. Then, they show readers how they dealt with the situation, such as reading books and articles on building personal confidence. Writers should use practical examples of how they solved their problems or struggles. Overall, including all the information about the unique situation or struggle and the solution helps readers to learn a lesson, what they take away after reading the text. As such, students should know that their literacy narrative essays must have a lesson for their readers.

4️⃣ Summary

The summary element briefly describes a personal experience and its effects. Every literacy narrative essay must summarize the writer’s experience to allow readers to judge, such as learning the value of something. When summarizing their personal story, such as an experience, students should understand that the summary must be brief but detailed enough to allow readers to put themselves in their place. In other words, the summary must be relevant to the reader and the broader society. The most crucial element in the summary is emphasizing the lesson from the personal issue by telling how the writer addressed the personal issue.

Examples of Famous Literacy Narrative Essays

Research is an essential activity that helps writers to find credible sources to support their work. When writing literacy narrative essays, students should adopt this approach to find famous literacy narratives and discover what makes them popular in the literary world. Students should focus on how writers adopt the unique structure described above. The list below highlights five popular literacy narratives because they are high-standard texts.

Learning to Read by Malcolm X

Malcolm X’s Learning to Read is a literacy narrative that describes his journey to enlightenment. The text reflects the unique structure of a literacy narrative because it communicates a personal issue, the solution to the problem, a lesson to the reader, and a summary of the writer’s experience. For example, the literacy issue is the writer’s hardships that inspired his journey to becoming a literate activist. After dropping from school at a young age, Malcolm X committed a crime that led to his imprisonment. The solution to his hardships was knowledge, and he immersed himself in education by reading in the prison library, gaining essential knowledge that helped him to confront his reality. The lesson is that education is transformative, and people can educate themselves from ignorance to enlightenment. The summary is that personal struggles are a ladder to more extraordinary life achievements.

Scars: A Life in Injuries by David Owen

David Owen’s Scars: A Life in Injuries is a literacy narrative that adopts the unique structure above. The literacy issue in the story is Owen’s scars, including over ten injuries and witnessing Duncan’s traumas. For example, the solution that the article proposes for dealing with personal scars is finding a purpose in each. The text describes how Owen saw each scar not as bad but as something that gave him a reason to live. The lesson is that scars are not just injuries but stories people can tell others to give hope and a reason for living. The summary is that life’s misfortunes should not be a reason to give up but a motivation to press on. It clarifies that, while misfortunes can lead to despair, one must be bold enough to see them as scars, not disabilities.

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son reflects the writer’s tense relationship with his father in the context of racial tension that gripped New York City in the mid-20th century. The story fits the unique structure of a literacy narrative. The personal issue in the text is the writer’s tense relationship with his father. The solution to this struggle is accepting life as it is and humans as they are, not struggling to change anyone or anything. For example, the lesson in the text is that the family can cause pain and anguish, and the best people can do is not to let others influence their feelings, attitude, behaviors, or motivations in life. The summary is that people’s struggles are a fire that sparks a revolution of ideas that uplift them and others in the broader society.

Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama

Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father is the story of the writer’s search for his biracial identity that satisfies the unique structure of a literacy narrative. For example, the personal issue in the text is Obama’s desire to understand the forces that shaped him and his father’s legacy, which propelled him to travel to Kenya. The journey exposed him to brutal poverty and tribal conflict and a community with an enduring spirit. The solution to this personal struggle is becoming a community organizer in the tumultuous political and racial strife that birthed despair in the inner cities. The reader learns that community is valuable in healing wounds that can lead to distress. The summary is that family is crucial to one’s identity, and spending time to know one’s background is helpful for a purposeful and meaningful life.

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast recalls the writer’s time in Paris during the 1920s. The personal issue in the text is dealing with a changing Paris. The solution to the writer’s struggle was to build a network of friends and use them as a study. For example, the text summarizes the writer’s story by discussing his relationships, including befriending Paul Cézanne, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott  Fitzgerald. He found some unpleasant and others very hedonistic. The reader learns from the text that friendships are vital in one’s professional journey because they provide insights into the attitudes that make up the human community. The summary is that one’s friendships are crucial in social and intellectual development, despite the weaknesses of some friends.

Topic Examples for Writing a Good Literacy Narrative Essay

Since students may get a chance to write a literacy narrative essay, they should learn how to choose good essay topics . Typically, students receive instructions specifying the topic, but, sometimes, such specifications may be lacking. In such an instance, one must know how to choose a good theme from lists of popular narrative essay topics or personal essay topics . For example, the best approach in selecting a subject is to read widely while noting valuable ideas. These aspects are a good starting point when deciding the subject of a literacy narrative essay. The following list provides easy topics for this kind of scholarly paper because they require students to tell a personal story, addressing the elements of the unique structure.

• Overcoming a Fear That Changed My Life
• A Memorable Day in Winter
• My Experience in an Adventure in Africa
• The Greatest Lessons in Friendship
• My Family Is My Anchor
• The Day I Will Never Forget
• My Life as a Community Advocate
• Delving Into the Enigma of Alternate Universes: A Hypothetical Journey

Sample Outline Template for Writing a Literacy Narrative Essay

I. College Essay Introduction

• A hook : An exciting statement to grab the reader’s attention.
• Background of the topic.
• A thesis that states the topic’s significance to the writer and reader.

A. Literacy Issue:

• State the literacy issue that signifies a personal problem, struggle, or issue.

B. Solution

• Give some background information about the literacy issue.
• Describe the setting of the literacy issue.
• Mention some characters involved in solving the literacy issue.
• Give a short story about the literacy issue and its significance.

D. Summary:

• State the outcomes of the literacy issue through detailed language.

III. Conclusion Examples

• Restate the thesis.
• State the outcome and the lesson.

Example of a Literacy Narrative Essay

Topic: My Life as a Community Advocate

I. Example of an Introduction of a Literacy Narrative Essay

Community service is a noble idea that should form part of every person’s life mantra. The context of community is the myriad social issues that may undermine people’s quality of life without adequate interventions. My life as a community advocate is about how I have helped to address social issues without holding any public office, evidence that all one needs is love, concern, focus, and commitment.

II. Examples of Body Paragraphs of a Literacy Narrative Essay

A. literacy issue sample paragraph.

Community service is a noble duty every person should view as an intervention against social problems that potentially undermine the quality of life of vulnerable groups in society, such as children, persons living with disabilities, and senior citizens. Community advocacy is standing up for the community in critical forums where decision-makers gather. As such, my life as a community advocate involves attending community meetings, political gatherings, seminars, and any association that consists of an interaction between ordinary people and those in leadership. My goal in such meetings is to raise issues affecting vulnerable groups in my community, which need more attention from local, state, or national leadership.

B. Solution Sample Paragraph

My life as a community advocate happens in the community where I live and any place where leaders with the power to change the community’s political, economic, and social architecture gather. In this respect, people involved in my role as a community advocate include elected leaders at the local, state, and national levels and leaders of various groups, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities. I also interact with school administrators, social workers, and health professionals like psychologists. These people are valuable in providing insights into different groups’ challenges and what is missing to make their lives satisfactory, if not better. It is common knowledge that vulnerable groups are significantly disadvantaged across dimensions of life, including employment, healthcare, and leadership. Therefore, my life as a community advocate focuses on being a voice for these groups in forums where those with the potential to improve their experiences and outcomes are present.

C. Lesson Sample Paragraph

An event that makes me proud of being a community advocate is when I helped to create a school-based program for children from low-income households below the age of five in my county. The program’s objective was to feed children and provide essential amenities they lacked due to their parent’s or guardians’ economic circumstances. Over time, I have learned that several counties across the state have adopted the program and made the lives of vulnerable children promising.

D. Summary Sample Paragraph

I took part in activities and improved the quality of health support for children. I have learned from several clinicians and social workers that children in the program have shown improved scores in body immunity because of good nutrition. Such news makes me proud to be a community advocate and continue being a voice for the voiceless in a society where politicians have prioritized self-interests in local, state, and national leadership.

III. Example of a Conclusion of a Literacy Narrative Essay

My life as a community advocate has shown me that people can solve social problems without minding their position in the community. The only tools I have used are love, concern, focus, and commitment to make the lives of vulnerable groups satisfactory, if not better. Looking back, I feel proud knowing I have helped vulnerable children to experience a life they may have missed if no one showed love and care. My community advocacy is evidence that people can solve social problems by caring.

4 Easy Steps for Writing a Great Literacy Narrative Essay

Writing a literacy narrative essay is a technical exercise that involves several steps. Each step requires writers to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of how to write this type of scholarly document. In essence, the technical details of writing a good literacy narrative essay are the issues one must address in each step of writing: preparation, stage setup, writing a first draft, and wrap-up. Although not every detail applies in a literacy narrative, most do, and students must grasp all for an improved understanding of what writing a high-standard academic document means.

Step 1: Preparation

Preparation is the first step in starting a literacy narrative essay. One technical detail students should address is defining a specific topic. Typically, instructors choose the topic, but students can select one if such a specification is lacking. For example, the best way to choose a topic is research, where one searches for documents, including famous narratives, on the Internet, using online databases. The second technical detail is to generate ideas, which means reading reliable sources while making notes. In this task, one should consider the audience to determine whether to use simple or technical language.

Step 2: Stage Set Up

Setting the stage is the second step in writing a literacy narrative essay. The first technical detail one needs to address is to create a well-organized outline according to the one above. For example, this task helps writers to assess their ideas to see whether they are sufficient for each paper section. The second technical detail is gathering stories by recalling experiences and events significantly affecting one’s life. The last technical point is constructing a hook, a statement that will help the text to grab readers’ attention from the start.

Step 3: Writing a First Draft

Writing a first draft of a literacy narrative essay is the third step in this activity. The first technical detail students should address is creating a draft. This text is the first product of the writing process and helps writers to judge their work. For example, the main issue is whether they have used all the ideas to construct a compelling narrative. The answer will determine if they will add new ideas or delete some, meaning adding or deleting academic sources. Whatever the outcome, writers may have to alter clear outlines to fit all the ideas necessary to make papers compelling and high-standard.

Writing an Introduction for a Literacy Analysis Essay

Students should focus on three outcomes when writing a good introduction: a hook, context, and thesis. The hook is a statement that captures the reader’s attention. As such, one must use a quote, fact, or question that triggers the reader’s interest to want to read more. Context is telling readers why the topic is vital to write about. A thesis is a statement that summarizes the writer’s purpose for writing a literacy narrative essay.

Writing a Body for a Literacy Analysis Essay

Writing the body part of a literacy narrative essay requires addressing the essential elements of a unique structure. The first element is to state a personal issue and make it the center of the narrative. The best approach is to look into the past and identify an experience or event with a lasting impact. The second element is a solution to the problem or struggle resulting from the personal issue. Therefore, writers should identify personal problems that expose them to conflict with others or social structures and systems. The third element is a lesson, how the personal issue and the solution affect the writer and potentially the reader. The last element is a summary, where authors conclude by giving readers a life perspective relating to the personal story.

Writing a Conclusion for a Literacy Analysis Essay

When writing a conclusion part for a literacy narrative essay, students should summarize the story by reemphasizing the thesis, the personal issue, and the lesson learned. Ideally, the goal of this section is not to introduce new ideas but reinforce what the paper has said and use the main points to conclude the story. As such, writers should not leave readers with questions but give information that allows them to draw a good lesson from the text.

Step 4: Wrap Up

The last step in writing a literacy narrative essay is wrapping up a final draft. The first technical detail students should address is revising the sections without a logical order of ideas. Ideally, one should read and reread their work to ensure the sentences and paragraphs make logical sense. For example, this task should ensure all body paragraphs have a topic sentence , a concluding sentence, and a transition. The next technical detail is editing a final draft by adding or deleting words and fixing grammar and format errors. Lastly, writers should confirm that a literary narrative essay adopts a single formatting style from beginning to end. Content in literacy narratives includes block quotes and dialogue. Students should format them appropriately as follows:

• Block quotes: Select the text to quote, click “Layout” on the ribbon, set the left indent to 0.5cm, click the “Enter” key, then use the arrows in the indent size box to increase or decrease the indentation.
• Dialogue: Use quotation marks to start and end spoken dialogue and create a new paragraph for each speaker.

20 Tips for Writing a Literacy Narrative Essay

Writing a literacy narrative essay requires students to learn several tips. These elements include choosing topics that are meaningful to the writer, generating ideas from the selected themes and putting them in sentence form, creating a clear outline and populating it with the ideas, writing the first draft that reflects the unique structure (literacy issue, solution, lesson, and summary), reading and rereading the draft, revising and editing the draft to produce a high-quality literacy narrative essay, proofreading the document.

10 things to do when writing a literacy narrative essay include:

• developing a hook to grab the readers’ attention,
• writing in paragraphs ,
• using the correct grammar,
• incorporating verbs that trigger the reader’s interest,
• showing rather than telling by using descriptive language,
• incorporating a dialogue,
• varying sentence beginnings,
• following figurative speech,
• formatting correctly,
• rereading the text.

10 things not to do include:

• choosing an irrelevant topic that does not stir interest in the reader,
• presenting a long introduction,
• providing a thesis that does not emphasize a personal issue,
• writing paragraphs without topic sentences and transitions,
• ignoring the unique structure of a literacy narrative essay (literacy issue, solution, lesson, and summary),
• focusing on too many personal experiences or events,
• using several formatting styles,
• writing sentences without logical sense,
• finalizing a document with multiple grammatical and formatting mistakes,
• not concluding the narrative by reemphasizing the thesis and lesson learned.

Summing Up on How to Write a Perfect Literacy Narrative Essay

• For writing a good literacy narrative essay, think of a personal experience or an event with a lasting impact.
• Use descriptive language to narrate the experience or event.
• Identify a conflict in the experience or event.
• State how the conflict shaped your perspective.
• Provide a solution to the conflict.
• Mention the setting of the personal experience or event, including people or groups involved.
• State the significance of the experience or event to people and groups involved and the broader society.

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How to Write a Thesis for a Narrative Essay

Last Updated: February 26, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 105,880 times.

In a narrative essay, your thesis will be a bit different than in an argumentative or explanatory paper. A narrative essay is basically you writing a story for the reader. The purpose of a narrative essay is to make a certain point, using personal experiences or life events to convey your main point or theme. [1] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source However, just as in a standard paper, your thesis will still appear in the introduction of your narrative essay.

Part 1: Preparing to Write the Thesis

• Come up with a topic that is important to you and that you feel you can talk about in a personal way.

• Another way to find a personal event is to look through your old social media posts, as they often chronicle important or meaningful events in your life.

• Remembering the details of the event through your five senses will also help to trigger other details or images you may have forgotten.
• For example, maybe you remember the taste of coconut after your grandmother's funeral, which will then help you remember that you all ate your grandmother's favorite coconut cake at the gathering after the funeral. You can then try to find that recipe and use it as a way to jog other memories of your grandmother.

Part 2: Creating Your Thesis

• For example: “In this essay, I will discuss the issue of grief by discuss my grandmother's sickness, discuss my grandmother's death, talk about what happened afterwards.”
• Adjust your first attempt so it is grammatically correct: “In this essay, I will discuss the issue of grief by discussing my grandmother's sickness, my grandmother's death, and what happened afterward.”

• You may want to create a thesis that is a bit more sophisticated and less stilted by removing the more formal phrase, “I will discuss”.
• For example: “Grief affects everyone's life at one point or another, and it certainly has affected mine; when my grandmother became sick and passed away, I had to learn how to deal with the aftermath of her death.”

• Avoid packing too many ideas into one sentence. Your thesis should help ease the reader into your essay, not confuse them.

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Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about writing essays, check out our in-depth interview with Alicia Cook .

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/narrative_essays.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/narrative-writing/
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-narrative-essay
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_statement_tips.html
• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/process/thesis/

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Narratives of Reading, Writing, and Other Literacies

At the naugle commlab.

• The Naugle CommLab
• About NARWOL

What Is a Literacy Narrative?

• Tutor Training Toolkit

Definitions

• Literacy – familiarity, facility, or competence with using at least one area of communication, including receptive (such as reading and listening comprehension) and productive areas of communication (such as written, spoken, and visual communicative competence). As a multimodal communication center, we interpret literacy broadly to include writing, oral communication, visual design, nonverbal communication, and other modalities.
• Literacy Narrative – A literacy narrative is a reflective document in which a writer composes a story regarding their process and growth in developing different forms of literacy, including reading, writing, viewing, interpreting, etc. The literacy narrative does not have to define literacy generally, but rather should consist of an exploration and re-definition of literacy in the context of a single individual’s experiences . University instructors in education and other fields often assign literacy narratives in courses as a way to help prospective teachers re-examine their own experiences, lenses, beliefs, and perspectives on literacy and raise questions about what it means to be literate prior to their embarking on a career supporting and guiding students in their individual journeys toward literacy.

For more information on literacy narratives, click here .

All of the literacy narratives that will appear in this archive will respond to the same prompt:

“Write and record a story that reflects on one or more formative experiences you have had with at least one area of literacy, including speaking, listening, visual design, writing, reading, etc. Discuss the influence that the experience has had on your journey toward literacy and how it has become a linguistic resource for you. Your story should in some way convey what the notion of literacy has meant in your life and how it has equipped you with the skills needed to be a consultant and an active global citizen.

This tightly focused, reflective personal narrative should be 1000–1500 words and should be a true story written in prose. An effective personal narrative shows rather than tells (i.e. it relies on concrete details and avoids abstraction) the reader the significance of the experience. Research is not required. Your literacy narrative should adhere to current MLA formatting guidelines.”

The author of a narrative must appeal to the needs and values of their audiences by tailoring their narrative to address those needs within the conventions of the document. This is not a journal entry, but rather a personal narrative describing specific aspects of an individual’s development as a communicator and creating connections between their experiences and the work they do in the center.

These literacy narratives are published in three ways to promote accessibility and dissemination: 1) linked .pdf files, 2) web content, and 3) audio recordings.

Getting Started

Any literacy-linked experience from your life is fodder for a literacy narrative. For example:

• Do you remember learning to cook or bake from a recipe card? Did someone in your life teach you to assemble ingredients and appropriate measuring implements? Did you ever knead bread, reading through your fingers the texture of the dough?
• What was your favorite book when you were growing up? Was there a character you identified with? Was it Hermione?
• Or did you prefer reading the comics section of the newspaper with a parent or a sibling, guffawing when a favorite character landed once again in one of their usual sticky situations?
• Did you hate playing Scrabble and other word games with your aunt because she always beat you? Or was Risk your go-to game? What did the fruits of global domination taste like? What did games of any sort teach you about group dynamics or communication?
• Did you like drawing flowers with acrylic paint at the kitchen table, sometimes spilling on the table cloth even though you have been told over and over that you needed to put something under your paper?
• Do you remember the first time you tried to deliver an oral presentation in middle school, and nobody acted like they cared?
• What was your favorite joke in fifth grade? Were you a knock-knock joke teller like your grandpa, or did you prefer more sophisticated jokes like Tom Swifties, A Book Never Written jokes, or other forms of humor taken from the Highlights  magazine?
• Did you prefer to  Zoobooks or National Geographic ? Did you read for the photos or the articles?
• Do you really think  Citizen Kane is the great example of American cinema? What would you replace it with? How have all of the movies based on Nicholas Sparks’ novels changed your life?
•  What was your first word? How has that word come to define everything about who you are as a person? (Note: If the word was ma-ma or  da-da , I would like to remind you that your parents do not define you.)

If you need other ideas for brainstorming, click here .

Be specific with that first story. It may come first in your narrative or it might come later, but having an interesting and specific story to build around will help you construct the story of your literacy journey.

Once you identify that key story, start to identify the common threads or patterns in your story and then find a way to connect them to what you do as a consultant in your center.

If you have questions about getting started on your literacy narrative or how to contribute to the archive, email the Naugle CommLab ([email protected]) or Jeff Howard ([email protected]).

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Literacy — Literacy Narrative: My Development In Reading And Writing

Literacy Narrative: My Development in Reading and Writing

• Categories: Literacy Personal Beliefs Personal Experience

About this sample

Words: 1015 |

Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 1015 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2007). Reading for information in elementary school: Content literacy strategies to build comprehension. Prentice Hall.
• Graham, S., & Hebert, M. (2011). Writing to read: Evidence for how writing can improve reading. Carnegie Corporation of New York.
• Nagy, W., & Anderson, R. C. (1984). The number of words in printed school English. Reading Research Quarterly, 19(3), 304-330.
• National Council of Teachers of English. (2018). Writing as a tool for learning. Retrieved from https://www2.ncte.org/resources/positions/writing-as-a-tool-for-learning/
• Pappas, C. C. (2014). Literacy narratives and the teacher education classroom: Exploring the potential for transformative learning. Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 10(1), 44-61.
• Powell, J. (2018). An Introduction to Education Studies. Sage Publications Ltd.
• Rappleye, J. (2017). Essential study skills. Cengage Learning.
• The International Literacy Association. (2019). The power of literacy. Retrieved from https://www.literacyworldwide.org/docs/default-source/resource-documents/2019-ila-power-of-literacy.pdf?sfvrsn=9da89fc2_2
• The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 00-4769). U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Wilkinson, L. (2018). The essentials of academic writing. Sage Publications Ltd.

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5.2: Thesis Examples

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SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS

These sample thesis statements are provided as guides, not as required forms or prescriptions.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The thesis may focus on an analysis of one of the elements of fiction, drama, poetry or nonfiction as expressed in the work: character, plot, structure, idea, theme, symbol, style, imagery, tone, etc.

In “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty creates a fictional character in Phoenix Jackson whose determination, faith, and cunning illustrate the indomitable human spirit.

Note that the work, author, and character to be analyzed are identified in this thesis statement. The thesis relies on a strong verb (creates). It also identifies the element of fiction that the writer will explore (character) and the characteristics the writer will analyze and discuss (determination, faith, cunning).

Further Examples:

The character of the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet serves as a foil to young Juliet, delights us with her warmth and earthy wit, and helps realize the tragic catastrophe.

The works of ecstatic love poets Rumi, Hafiz, and Kabir use symbols such as a lover’s longing and the Tavern of Ruin to illustrate the human soul’s desire to connect with God.

The thesis may focus on illustrating how a work reflects the particular genre’s forms, the characteristics of a philosophy of literature, or the ideas of a particular school of thought.

“The Third and Final Continent” exhibits characteristics recurrent in writings by immigrants: tradition, adaptation, and identity.

Note how the thesis statement classifies the form of the work (writings by immigrants) and identifies the characteristics of that form of writing (tradition, adaptation, and identity) that the essay will discuss.

Further examples:

Samuel Beckett’s Endgame reflects characteristics of Theatre of the Absurd in its minimalist stage setting, its seemingly meaningless dialogue, and its apocalyptic or nihilist vision.

A close look at many details in “The Story of an Hour” reveals how language, institutions, and expected demeanor suppress the natural desires and aspirations of women.

The thesis may draw parallels between some element in the work and real-life situations or subject matter: historical events, the author’s life, medical diagnoses, etc.

In Willa Cather’s short story, “Paul’s Case,” Paul exhibits suicidal behavior that a caring adult might have recognized and remedied had that adult had the scientific knowledge we have today.

This thesis suggests that the essay will identify characteristics of suicide that Paul exhibits in the story. The writer will have to research medical and psychology texts to determine the typical characteristics of suicidal behavior and to illustrate how Paul’s behavior mirrors those characteristics.

Through the experience of one man, the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, accurately depicts the historical record of slave life in its descriptions of the often brutal and quixotic relationship between master and slave and of the fragmentation of slave families.

In “I Stand Here Ironing,” one can draw parallels between the narrator’s situation and the author’s life experiences as a mother, writer, and feminist.

SAMPLE PATTERNS FOR THESES ON LITERARY WORKS

1. In (title of work), (author) (illustrates, shows) (aspect) (adjective). 

Example: In “Barn Burning,” William Faulkner shows the characters Sardie and Abner Snopes struggling for their identity.

2. In (title of work), (author) uses (one aspect) to (define, strengthen, illustrate) the (element of work).

Example: In “Youth,” Joseph Conrad uses foreshadowing to strengthen the plot.

3. In (title of work), (author) uses (an important part of work) as a unifying device for (one element), (another element), and (another element).  The number of elements can vary from one to four.

Example: In “Youth,” Joseph Conrad uses the sea as a unifying device for setting, structure and theme.

4. (Author) develops the character of (character’s name) in (literary work) through what he/she does, what he/she says, what other people say to or about him/her.

Example: Langston Hughes develops the character of Semple in “Ways and Means”…

5. In (title of work), (author) uses (literary device) to (accomplish, develop, illustrate, strengthen) (element of work).

Example: In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Poe uses the symbolism of the stranger, the clock, and the seventh room to develop the theme of death.

6. (Author) (shows, develops, illustrates) the theme of __________ in the (play, poem, story).

Example: Flannery O’Connor illustrates the theme of the effect of the selfishness of the grandmother upon the family in “A Good Man is Hard to Find.”

7. (Author) develops his character(s) in (title of work) through his/her use of language.

Example: John Updike develops his characters in “A & P” through his use of figurative language.

• Thesis Examples. Authored by : University of Arlington Texas. Located at : http://libguides.uta.edu/c.php?g=517839&p=3592550 . License : CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial

How to Write a Literacy Narrative Essay Examples, Topics

If you need topics, examples, and an extensive step-by-step on writing a stellar literary narrative essay, then don’t waste your time and effort trying to look for a better guide because we’ve taken it upon ourselves to gather all the information you’ll need to know to achieve that.

In this article we will go through the basics, guide you through every step of the process, and provide you with topics and literacy narrative essay 2022 examples. We recommend not skipping anything. Read through the whole thing, and you’ll be sure to know the ins and outs at the end.

Finally, it’s time to finish the brain fog and confusion that surrounds this topic. But, writing can be tough for some. Well, did you know that you can hire essay writers from our persuasive essay writing service to handle some writing tasks for you? Now, you do. Get in touch with them ASAP by clicking that link.

In the quest to express personal journeys with literacy through a narrative essay, high school seniors are also stepping closer to a significant milestone - transitioning to higher education. This transition, however exciting, brings along a financial consideration that cannot be overlooked. Scholarships emerge as a beacon of hope in such scenarios, providing the much-needed financial relief. As you delve into your literacy narrative, exploring your relationship with reading and writing, it's also an opportune time to explore scholarships that can support your academic endeavors ahead. Discover a curated list of the best scholarships for high school seniors that can provide a financial cushion as you embark on your college journey. Balancing your passion for literacy with the practicality of securing scholarship aid will not only enrich your narrative but also set a strong foundation for your academic future.

A Few Things To Consider

We will teach you how to write a literacy narrative essay. We will be going in-depth and learning all the relevant details there are to know. Moreover, we’ll explore narrative essay topics. Even as a beginner, with just the right amount of practice and research, you can write up an excellent paper. 

This type of essay has a lot of elements that need to be included and to be taken into consideration, so to craft a well-rounded work that includes all these elements, we first need to know what we’re going to have to include in our writing.

Overview: What Is a Literacy Narrative Essay? 

So, what is a literacy narrative essay? This type of essay is an essay where the writer tells about their experiences in writing and reading. It’s meta. You can typically read about the writer’s sources of inspiration for their literacy, such as books, amongst other things. 

The content and experiences one can read from this type of essay are pretty broad since everyone experiences something different from the other. The goal of this essay is to examine the importance of literacy in one’s own experience, how it’s shaped them, and sometimes it serves as a lesson to those who read it. 

Keep reading for the chance to peek at some good narrative essay topics, and don’t miss out on the chance to hire a professional writer to do the work for you from narrative essay writing service made for troubled or burnt-out students.

What to Include in a Literacy Narrative Essay

Firstly, let’s establish some basics, just like any other essay, this one will need to include: 

• An introductory paragraph with a hook and a thesis. 
• Body paragraphs to extrapolate on the points made in the introduction.
• A concluding paragraph to sum it all up.

And since this type of essay is about sharing an anecdote and trying to convey a lesson/message through one’s own experiences and realizations, it’s important not to write in a rigid and overly formal manner. 

A personal literacy narrative essay example would typically feature:

• A personal tone of voice since the main goal is to write about an anecdote related to literacy.
• A literacy narrative example essay will, of course, include personal stories.
• Dialogue and monologue if context-appropriate.
• Visual and colorful language.
• Literary tools such as metaphors and similes help the descriptive elements of this essay.
• Use of active verbs.

Go through these bullet points and try to remember them. Obviously, by including all of them in your writing, you have more chances of getting a higher score on what you turn in. Stick around for college literacy narrative essay examples and narrative essay outline guides. 

Outline Example 

Writing an outline is crucial. It helps reduce mistakes, gives structure to your ideas, and streamlines the writing process. Speaking of writing, EssayService has a plethora of writing services, including report writing services , essay writing, and even proofreading.

If you want to know how to write a literacy narrative essay, here’s an outline example of what you can write in your introduction to your concluding paragraph. 

• Introduce the main issue/problem: in the introduction, highlight the issue you want to provide an answer to. This will typically revolve around being illiterate or the importance of literacy. 
• Give a solution: through sharing your own experiences, you can give a solution by sharing the realizations and lessons you’ve learned through these said experiences.
• Give further advice: write how your readers can explicitly apply the advice you gave for their problems. Help them understand how to use this knowledge. 
• Sum up: conclude the most relevant points you made to persuade your readers to care about the problem and consider your advice.

Literacy Narrative Essay Sample

Key differences between literacy narrative & narrative essay.

Don’t confuse a literacy narrative prompt with a narrative prompt. These two essays are very similar, but they’re not the same. Key differences are:

• A literacy narrative essay is strictly an essay that showcases a story/anecdote of how this person became literate. No matter how different the story may be from one person to another, it always revolves around this. 
• A narrative essay can be any story. It can be anecdotal, personal, etc. A narrative essay’s purpose is to show the readers that the writer knows how to use storytelling techniques.

Stick around to look at literacy narrative essay examples from our political science essay writing service .

Tips On Writing 

Now that you’ve looked at one of our college literacy narrative essay examples, it’s time to finish it off by reading our tips on writing. You’ve been taught the fundamentals and have seen a reference, and our tips will help your writing get better. 

Prepare and Find Sources

Be sure to do a proper amount of research. Try to find credible sources. Colleges usually don’t accept anything less. For example, scholarly articles and peer-reviewed works can be used. Gather these sources and filter through them. Now you can move on to your college literacy narrative essay outline and then write your college literacy narrative essay.

Also, note that literacy narratives discuss memories from time to time. So your personal experiences can be just as good of a source, provided the topic is fitting. Don’t be scared to add some flare to your literacy story. Take your audience on a rough and exciting journey. Your personal literacy story has the advantage of being written not just in your own unique style but also from your own unique perspective.

Shape your own story from a hilarious and witty ride you’ve had with your friends, talk about your bully, remember some of your own love stories, and let your vast imagination free. That’s what a literacy narrative takes. And don’t worry about carefully planned words. That’s not how reading or writing a personal essay works. Your entire journey is about personal exploration. With their creative juices flowing, college students can utilize only a few sentences of written words to hit the spot. Even the wrong way will get you somewhere on this literacy journey. So make it a personalized story.

One thing that can become a serious challenge is writer’s block. Simply sitting staring at a blank page can have disastrous consequences for your productivity. If you find yourself stumped for words - look for literacy narrative examples to get you inspired. Read about the writing life of your favorite author.

If you’re having trouble finding good sources, then don’t hesitate to get a writer’s help on EssayService, but you can also just extend your research by getting leads from your professor or your coursemates. They should know some useful links that can help you. 

Take Notes On Relevant Information 

Filter through your sources and note down relevant information in bite-sized chunks. The brain is better at remembering small blocks of information than it is at painstakingly long paragraphs. Do yourself a favor and segment your notes in this fashion - it will help you remember things much more easily. 

You can also use colored notes to streamline this process, and for some students, memorizing becomes even easier this way, but this is optional. Just remember to take down notes on what matters and use these in your college literacy narrative essay outline. 

Time To Write It 

After researching, figuring out your outline, etc. - it’s to write it all down. We hope you didn’t skip any of our prior tips since they truly do help the bigger picture. Use your notes and your research as a reference when writing. Don’t be scared to come back to them when writing, especially if you feel stuck. That’s what they are there for. 

Read the literacy narrative essay sample we’ve provided above if you need inspiration or fresh ideas, or if you just want to grasp the concept of this type of essay. But don’t forget to use your own experiences, and not just that of someone else’s; otherwise, the whole purpose of it is defeated. 

Write a rough draft if you need to, then polish it in the final version. Rough drafts are a great way to keep writing without overthinking since you know that you’ll easily erase the mistakes you’ll be making in the process. Don’t overthink. Just write. 

Proofread And Edit Your Essay

Lastly, it’s time to proofread it for any errors in your writing and edit if needed. A perfect paper can sometimes be unattainable, but perhaps you’ll get a perfect score by being meticulous. Don’t forget to reread our free literacy narrative essay sample above and some more free samples at EssayService to help you with learning. 

In case you want your writing to be perfect, ask your peer to proofread your paper for you instead of doing it yourself. Or you can proofread it and then let another person do the same a second time. Two are better than one sometimes, and one more person can detect errors you might have overlooked. 

You can address to our nursing essay writer if you need to edit your task or to buy case study .

Literacy Narrative Essay Topics 

The good thing about this type of essay is that there should be no shortage of ideas or topics to write about since the majority of us in school have had experiences of coming into literacy one way or another. 

People might have become literate much faster than some, but unless you’re completely illiterate, you should remember one thing or two from the past that can be used for your essay. 

Here are some prompts for your memory and general narrative essay topics/ideas for topics:

• The First Thing I Read
• The First Thing I Wrote
• Languages I Learnt
• How to Encourage Early Reading Skills
• Computer Literacy Among Teachers
• The Role of Public Libraries in Modern Education
• What Do Low Literacy Rates Imply?
• How Important Is Computer Literacy?
• The Impact of Instant Messengers on Literacy
• Cultural Impact of Online Communication
• Factors Affecting Literacy Rates
• Balanced Literacy Teaching Methods
• Literacy and Cultural Awareness
• Phonemic Awareness and Child Literacy
• The Role of Literacy in Research
• The Cornerstone of Early Literacy
• Literacy History Throughout Ages
• Defining Literacy Concept
• An Early Literacy Intervention
• Today’s Problems of Literacy

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Writing Program at New College

Assignments - literacy narrative (1000 - 1500 words).

A Literacy Narrative is a type of autobiographical essay –“The Art of Eating Spaghetti,” for example – that focuses on personal experiences with literacy (speaking, writing, reading, and the like) in order to confirm the importance of these rhetorical experiences in a person’s life.

Begin by recalling a rhetorical moment from your life. Think back and reflect on significant situations that helped develop you as a reader and/or writer. Think about who helped you learn about and/or appreciate reading and writing. Think about particular experiences that effected how you thought about reading and writing.

Finding your Focus

Above all, try to recall a moment in your life when speaking, reading, writing, and the like had a big impact on your life. Answer the following questions to get you thinking:

• What is your earliest memory of reading and writing?
• How did you learn to read and write? Did you ever teach anyone else to read or write?
• Who encouraged you to read and write?
• What events interrupted and/or slowed down your ability and/or desire to read and write?
• Did you apply literacy skills to other content areas: sports, music, video games, etc.?
• What kinds of reading have you done in your past and what kinds of reading to you do now?
• What teachers had a particular impact on your reading and writing?
• What assignments had a particular impact on your reading and writing?
• Have different schools or other institutions had an impact on your reading and writing?
• How do you currently feel about reading and writing?
• What rewards have come from reading and writing?
• Did a special or important event from your past make you the reader and/or writer you are today?
• Was there a moment or moments that were especially empowering?
• Did you ever read a book or poem or song that made sense to you beyond the words on the page?

Organizing your Ideas

Discuss these questions with members of the class, and then post responses to at least seven (7) of the questions to Blackboard. The completion of this WTL assignment will provide you with more information about what to pursue for the writing assignment. As you look over this profile of your writing history, consider what “argument” or “so what” point will guide your literacy narrative. For example, you may learn that while you failed or did poorly on a certain assignment, this grade motivated you to work more diligently on your writing skills.

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36 Professional Narrative Essay Examples

Personal narratives by professional writers.

• Alexie, Sherman.  “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me.”   Los Angeles Times . 19 April 1998. https://sites.tufts.edu/alquestaeng2spring2018/files/2018/01/22The-Joy-of-Reading-and-Writing-Superman-and-Me22-by-Sherman-Alexie.pdf
• Baca, Jimmy Santiago. “Coming into Language.” https://pen.org/coming-into-language/
• Bragg, Rick.  “Chapter 1” from All Over but the Shoutin’. 1998.  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/17370/all-over-but-the-shoutin-by-rick-bragg/
• Douglass, Frederick. “ Chapter VII ” (Learning to Read & Write) from Life of an American Slave . (Also available as an audio file.)
• Liu, Ken. “Paper Menagerie” (a short story). https://io9.gizmodo.com/read-ken-lius-amazing-story-that-swept-the-hugo-nebula-5958919
• Malcolm X. “Learning to Read” https://ptfaculty.gordonstate.edu/jmallory/index_files/page0096.htm
• Mitchell, Judith. “I’m Telling Everyone.” https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/im-telling-everyone
• Offutt, Chris. “Trash Food.”  Oxford American.  https://www.oxfordamerican.org/magazine/item/550-trash-food
• Orwell, George. “Shooting an Elephant.” https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-foundation/orwell/essays-and-other-works/shooting-an-elephant/
• Petrosino, Kiki. “Literacy Narrative.”  Iowa Review. https://iowareview.org/blog/literacy-narrative-kiki-petrosino
• Sedaris, David. “ Stepping Out .” New Yorker Magazine . 30 June 2014.
• Westover, Tara. “Prologue” from  Educated.  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/550168/educated-by-tara-westover/
• Wright, Richard. “Chapter VIII” (The Library Card) from Black Boy. http://drnissani.net/MNISSANI/20302005/library.htm

More Examples of Personal Narratives

Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives – The DALN is an open public resource made up of stories from people just like you about their experiences learning to read, write, and generally communicate with the world around them.

I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother

by Liza Long

Three days before 20 year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, then opened fire on a classroom full of Connecticut kindergartners, my 13-year old son Michael (name changed) missed his bus because he was wearing the wrong color pants.

“I can wear these pants,” he said, his tone increasingly belligerent, the black-hole pupils of his eyes swallowing the blue irises.

“They are navy blue,” I told him. “Your school’s dress code says black or khaki pants only.”

“They told me I could wear these,” he insisted. “You’re a stupid bitch. I can wear whatever pants I want to. This is America. I have rights!”

“You can’t wear whatever pants you want to,” I said, my tone affable, reasonable. “And you definitely cannot call me a stupid bitch. You’re grounded from electronics for the rest of the day. Now get in the car, and I will take you to school.”

I live with a son who is mentally ill. I love my son. But he terrifies me.

A few weeks ago, Michael pulled a knife and threatened to kill me and then himself after I asked him to return his overdue library books. His 7 and 9 year old siblings knew the safety plan — they ran to the car and locked the doors before I even asked them to. I managed to get the knife from Michael, then methodically collected all the sharp objects in the house into a single Tupperware container that now travels with me. Through it all, he continued to scream insults at me and threaten to kill or hurt me.

That conflict ended with three burly police officers and a paramedic wrestling my son onto a gurney for an expensive ambulance ride to the local emergency room. The mental hospital didn’t have any beds that day, and Michael calmed down nicely in the ER, so they sent us home with a prescription for Zyprexa and a follow-up visit with a local pediatric psychiatrist.

We still don’t know what’s wrong with Michael. Autism spectrum, ADHD, Oppositional Defiant or Intermittent Explosive Disorder have all been tossed around at various meetings with probation officers and social workers and counselors and teachers and school administrators. He’s been on a slew of antipsychotic and mood altering pharmaceuticals, a Russian novel of behavioral plans. Nothing seems to work.

At the start of seventh grade, Michael was accepted to an accelerated program for highly gifted math and science students. His IQ is off the charts. When he’s in a good mood, he will gladly bend your ear on subjects ranging from Greek mythology to the differences between Einsteinian and Newtonian physics to Doctor Who. He’s in a good mood most of the time. But when he’s not, watch out. And it’s impossible to predict what will set him off.

Several weeks into his new junior high school, Michael began exhibiting increasingly odd and threatening behaviors at school. We decided to transfer him to the district’s most restrictive behavioral program, a contained school environment where children who can’t function in normal classrooms can access their right to free public babysitting from 7:30-1:50 Monday through Friday until they turn 18.

The morning of the pants incident, Michael continued to argue with me on the drive. He would occasionally apologize and seem remorseful. Right before we turned into his school parking lot, he said, “Look, Mom, I’m really sorry. Can I have video games back today?”

“No way,” I told him. “You cannot act the way you acted this morning and think you can get your electronic privileges back that quickly.”

His face turned cold, and his eyes were full of calculated rage. “Then I’m going to kill myself,” he said. “I’m going to jump out of this car right now and kill myself.”

That was it. After the knife incident, I told him that if he ever said those words again, I would take him straight to the mental hospital, no ifs, ands, or buts. I did not respond, except to pull the car into the opposite lane, turning left instead of right.

“Where are you taking me?” he said, suddenly worried. “Where are we going?”

“You know where we are going,” I replied.

“No! You can’t do that to me! You’re sending me to hell! You’re sending me straight to hell!”

I pulled up in front of the hospital, frantically waiving for one of the clinicians who happened to be standing outside. “Call the police,” I said. “Hurry.”

Michael was in a full-blown fit by then, screaming and hitting. I hugged him close so he couldn’t escape from the car. He bit me several times and repeatedly jabbed his elbows into my rib cage. I’m still stronger than he is, but I won’t be for much longer.

The police came quickly and carried my son screaming and kicking into the bowels of the hospital. I started to shake, and tears filled my eyes as I filled out the paperwork — “Were there any difficulties with… at what age did your child… were there any problems with.. has your child ever experienced.. does your child have…”

At least we have health insurance now. I recently accepted a position with a local college, giving up my freelance career because when you have a kid like this, you need benefits. You’ll do anything for benefits. No individual insurance plan will cover this kind of thing.

For days, my son insisted that I was lying — that I made the whole thing up so that I could get rid of him. The first day, when I called to check up on him, he said, “I hate you. And I’m going to get my revenge as soon as I get out of here.”

By day three, he was my calm, sweet boy again, all apologies and promises to get better. I’ve heard those promises for years. I don’t believe them anymore.

On the intake form, under the question, “What are your expectations for treatment?” I wrote, “I need help.”

And I do. This problem is too big for me to handle on my own. Sometimes there are no good options. So you just pray for grace and trust that in hindsight, it will all make sense.

I am sharing this story because I am Adam Lanza’s mother. I am Dylan Klebold’s and Eric Harris’s mother. I am James Holmes’s mother. I am Jared Loughner’s mother. I am Seung-Hui Cho’s mother. And these boys—and their mothers—need help. In the wake of another horrific national tragedy, it’s easy to talk about guns. But it’s time to talk about mental illness.

According to Mother Jones, since 1982, 61 mass murders involving firearms have occurred throughout the country. Of these, 43 of the killers were white males, and only one was a woman. Mother Jones focused on whether the killers obtained their guns legally (most did). But this highly visible sign of mental illness should lead us to consider how many people in the U.S. live in fear, like I do.

When I asked my son’s social worker about my options, he said that the only thing I could do was to get Michael charged with a crime. “If he’s back in the system, they’ll create a paper trail,” he said. “That’s the only way you’re ever going to get anything done. No one will pay attention to you unless you’ve got charges.”

I don’t believe my son belongs in jail. The chaotic environment exacerbates Michael’s sensitivity to sensory stimuli and doesn’t deal with the underlying pathology. But it seems like the United States is using prison as the solution of choice for mentally ill people. According to Human Rights Watch, the number of mentally ill inmates in U.S. prisons quadrupled from 2000 to 2006, and it continues to rise — in fact,  the rate of inmate mental illness is five times greater (56 percent) than in the non-incarcerated population.

With state-run treatment centers and hospitals shuttered, prison is now the last resort for the mentally ill — Rikers Island, the LA County Jail and Cook County Jail in Illinois housed  the nation’s largest treatment centers in 2011 .

No one wants to send a 13-year old genius who loves Harry Potter and his snuggle animal collection to jail. But our society, with its stigma on mental illness and its broken healthcare system, does not provide us with other options. Then another tortured soul shoots up a fast food restaurant. A mall. A kindergarten classroom. And we wring our hands and say, “Something must be done.”

I agree that something must be done. It’s time for a meaningful, nation-wide conversation about mental health. That’s the only way our nation can ever truly heal.

God help me. God help Michael. God help us all.

This essay, originally published at The Anarchist Soccer Mom, is licensed CC BY NC  ND 4.0. Liza Long is an Assistant Professor of English at the College of Western Idaho. Her book,  The Price of Silence: A Mom’s Perspective on Mental Illness,  was a 2014 “Books for a Better Life” winner. Liza’s essays have appeared in USA Today, Time.com, Huffington Post,  MindBodyGreen, and other places. She blogs on children’s mental health issues at 1in5Minds.org.  

Write What Matters Copyright © 2020 by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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