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Kaylee Davis
Professor Mary Dixon
WRIT201: Introduction to Creative Writing
25 September 2023
Analysis of Reading Creative Nonfiction Assignment
The creative nonfiction piece I decided to read and analyze for this assignment is
“Sketch,” by Rigoberto Gonzáles (Starkey, pg. 226).
The first thing I noticed about this piece was that it was written in present tense. The use
of present tense created feelings of immediacy, connectedness, and intensity for me as a reader.
As I was reading, I felt like I was there with the narrator as he/she experienced the events. I felt
like I was watching the changes in the narrator take place as they made realizations. I can use
present tense in my own creative nonfiction piece to create these same feelings of intensity and
connectedness for my readers. Doing this will make my story more captivating.
Another thing I noticed was that the piece was structured very well. The author had clear
plot elements that flowed nicely. The different elements were easy to pinpoint. For example, the
exposition was an individual in a coffee shop having to sit across from a man who is sketching.
The rising action is developed when the narrator feels like the sketcher is watching him/her. The
climax takes place when the narrator realizes the sketcher is using him/her as a model. Then, the
falling action is established when the narrator leaves the coffee shop. The resolution involves the
narrator seeing the sketch the next week and realizing that the sketcher’s perspective of him/her
varies greatly from their own. In my own writing, I can ensure that the plot elements are clear,
well developed, and flow well. By doing this, I can ensure that my overall theme is well
supported and conveyed. It will also help readers to be able to easily read and interpret my work.
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One of my favorite parts of this piece was the use of figurative language in the last
paragraph. The narrator compares him/herself to a forgotten mug of coffee (Starkey, pg.226).
This was very impactful because it was easy to visualize and understand. It also helped develop
the theme of other people seeing you differently than you do. Including figurative language in
my own work will make it more poetic and powerful while also providing readers with a
reference so they can better understand what I am trying to convey.
“Sketch,” by Rigoberto Gonzáles (Starkey, pg. 226) is written in present tense and
includes clear plot elements and powerful use of figurative language. These elements made the
overall piece more powerful by improving its flow, structure, and theme. By including these
elements in my own work, I can create a well-developed and impactful story that is interesting to
read.
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Works Cited
Starkey, David. Creative Writing: Four Genres in Brief. Fourth ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2022.
