Essay #2 Assignment – Narrative Essay

As we discussed in class last week, a narrative argument is useful for illustrating how people are affected by a particular issue or incident, but it is MORE effective if you provide evidence that goes beyond a single incident. You establish your thesis (in legalese terms) through a “preponderance of evidence,” and the thesis is not explicitly stated. Rather, it is inferred by the reader through his understanding of your narrative.
Remember the rhetorical triangle: you, the speaker, must establish ethos through your message by using logos to ensure your argument makes sense, and appeal to your audience by engaging your reader’s imagination and emotion through pathos.
Your task: You are to write a 3-5 page narrative argument based on an event from your own life where you came to some sort of realization that you feel is important enough to pass on.
Your audience: You are writing to someone younger and/or less experienced than yourself: a sibling, niece or nephew, co-worker, or even a fellow student. This person is as literate as you; in other words, don’t “write down” to your audience.
Your purpose: You are writing to clarify your position on an issue that you and your mentee (you are the mentor) have disagreed on; it is an issue with which you have more experience. Your goal is twofold: a) to clarify your position and b) to present your evidence in a way that will persuade your audience to embrace your position.