English Composition: Discussion and Paper

1) Discussion:  Narratives

Go to the attachment in this homework named Reference and read the essay:

• Buford, B. (2004). The Pasta Station. New Yorker, 80 (25), 114-127.

In the Discussion, answer at least three of the following questions in response to the reading:

• What is your initial reaction to the essay? Do you like it? Do you dislike it? Why?
• A narrative essay should not only tell a story, but also have some larger theme or idea for the reader to take away from their experience. What was the larger theme in the essay you read? Do you think the author was successful in connecting their own experience with this larger idea/theme? If so, how? (it’s ok if you don’t feel they did; just make sure to back up your answer)
• What do you feel work best in the essay? What do you think did not work as well?
• What writing techniques did you learn from the author that you could use in your own writing?

2) Paper:  Topic Selection

Directions

Read and respond to the following writing prompt: 

This assignment should be helpful in generating and refining topics for your upcoming Narrative essay (look ahead to the Narrative Essay writing criteria). This practice also may be helpful in future writing projects. 

• List three significant events that have happened in your life (these should be things that have changed you in one way or another). 
• Write a sentence or two about why you feel each event is important to you. 
• Write a sentence or two describing why you feel each event could be important to your readers. 
• After writing your sentences, decide which of these topics interests you enough to write your essay about and interest your readers enough to read about. 
• Write a paragraph or two based on the event you've chosen. Try to identify who was there, what they were doing, and what they were saying at the time of the event. 
• Submit your work as a single document.