Essay on "Memoir I Never Want to Forget"

Quoted Instructions for "Memoir I Never Want to Forget" Assignment:

Write a creative childhood memoir that makes effective use of all the required elements: An establishing shot at the beginning of the piece

Start with a short paragraph that includes detail, action, interaction between characters, or set

description that *****establishes***** the tone or theme of your piece. Use the establishing shots in the memoir, Angela*****s

Ashes

 Specific, concrete detail and sensory imagery

A memoir needs the same detail that fiction uses. Show your reader objects, sights, sounds, aromas,

textures, and flavors of your world (look at the lists we made to give you ideas). Certainly use details to

establish the time period: Don*****t write, *****It was 1978.***** Instead, say something like, *****In the background I

could hear the theme song of *****˜Laverne and Shirley***** announcing its arrival on the television set.*****

 Dialogue

Don*****t tell us what you and your characters say. Let us hear them saying it. Try to capture the flavor of

the character*****s individual speaking style. Again, look at the lists and think about how Frank McCourt

uses dialogue to flesh out character. Use your handout to be sure you*****re punctuating your dialogue

correctly.

 At least one *****Exploded Moment*****

Use the same technique that filmmakers use when they slow down time. Provide all the detail you can

about what you see, smell, hear, taste, think, and feel for a small moment in time.

 At least one instance of stylistic repetition

Model your repetition after the samples we looked at in class: Frank McCourt and Lisa Kogen

 One thesis/truism

So what? What did you get out of the experience? How has it colored your life? What can someone

else get out of it? The event need not have been life changing in order for there to be some significance.

The point may be serious, humorous, or a little of both. If there*****s no thesis, no reflective quality, it*****s a

story rather than a memoir.

Warning: This paper is not to be written as an essay typically would. If your thesis is at the end of the

first paragraph, you*****re probably not telling a very good story. Your thesis will probably come at the

end or, preferably, will be implicit rather than explicit.

In addition, the memoir demonstrates a mature command of stylistic maturity. AND Careful editing