Narrative Essay - Prewriting
Funny how a melody
Sounds like a memory
Like the soundtrack to a July Saturday night…
--Eric Church, “Springsteen”
We’ve all had those moments: you’re driving along in your car, a familiar song comes on the radio, and you’re back in a specific moment. Maybe you’re back freshman year, having a great time with your friends. Maybe you’re reliving a moment when you celebrated a big win or achieved a personal goal. Or maybe you’re back in a sadder moment, saying goodbye to someone you care about.
For this essay, you will think back on your life and choose three moments/events that you see as particularly important. These moments should be related in some way—maybe they all taught you something about growing up; maybe they were all turning points in your family; maybe they were all key moments in your development as (for example) a musician, an artist, or an athlete. You will then choose a song that corresponds to each moment; it could be a song that puts you back in that moment, but doesn’t necessarily have to be: it could just be a song that you think fits well or illustrates something about that time in your life. Think about how music works on the soundtrack of a movie: sometimes it literally describes what is going on, but sometimes it also sets the mood or illustrates how one of the characters is feeling at that time. What songs would do that in the story you are telling? The focus should be on the description of your memories, then, but you will also explain the songs’ connections to them.
The individual songs/moments will provide the organizational structure for your essay; that is, individual sections of the essay will be focused around the individual songs/moments you choose. For that reason, transitions are going to be important here; you will need to show your audience how the moments/events you have chosen connect to each other. This is why it is important that the moments/events you choose are related to each other in some way, or at the very least, illustrate a common theme. Your essay will also include both an introduction and conclusion. Though, in this type of essay, you might not state the thesis overtly—that is, the thesis might be implied—it should be clear what the reader should take away from your essay.
Your essay should be a minimum of three pages and follow standard MLA format. In addition to the three pages, you will include a Works Cited page that appropriately cites the songs you have used.
Sounds like a memory
Like the soundtrack to a July Saturday night…
--Eric Church, “Springsteen”
We’ve all had those moments: you’re driving along in your car, a familiar song comes on the radio, and you’re back in a specific moment. Maybe you’re back freshman year, having a great time with your friends. Maybe you’re reliving a moment when you celebrated a big win or achieved a personal goal. Or maybe you’re back in a sadder moment, saying goodbye to someone you care about.
For this essay, you will think back on your life and choose three moments/events that you see as particularly important. These moments should be related in some way—maybe they all taught you something about growing up; maybe they were all turning points in your family; maybe they were all key moments in your development as (for example) a musician, an artist, or an athlete. You will then choose a song that corresponds to each moment; it could be a song that puts you back in that moment, but doesn’t necessarily have to be: it could just be a song that you think fits well or illustrates something about that time in your life. Think about how music works on the soundtrack of a movie: sometimes it literally describes what is going on, but sometimes it also sets the mood or illustrates how one of the characters is feeling at that time. What songs would do that in the story you are telling? The focus should be on the description of your memories, then, but you will also explain the songs’ connections to them.
The individual songs/moments will provide the organizational structure for your essay; that is, individual sections of the essay will be focused around the individual songs/moments you choose. For that reason, transitions are going to be important here; you will need to show your audience how the moments/events you have chosen connect to each other. This is why it is important that the moments/events you choose are related to each other in some way, or at the very least, illustrate a common theme. Your essay will also include both an introduction and conclusion. Though, in this type of essay, you might not state the thesis overtly—that is, the thesis might be implied—it should be clear what the reader should take away from your essay.
Your essay should be a minimum of three pages and follow standard MLA format. In addition to the three pages, you will include a Works Cited page that appropriately cites the songs you have used.
Narrative Essay - Drafting
Accompanying each part of the essay instructions are student examples. These examples are not meant to be perfect examples, but to provide a starting point for your own writing.
Introduction - Paragraph 1
- Introduce yourself This paragraph is basically a brief autobiography. It helps if what you include relates to the events you have chosen to relate.
- Next, explain the soundtrack. What songs are you including? How to the songs relate to the events - be general here, you'll get more specific in the body paragraphs.
- End with a thesis statement that establishes the theme/purpose of your narrative.
Example 1
Most of my life has only consisted of two main things, softball and family. I started my softball career when I was around seven years old and kept with it ever since. My family has always played an important role in my life, despite my situation not being the most ideal. Throughout my short life, tough decisions are things I am familiar with. For example, deciding to play softball in high school but then deciding to leave it there. I had to also deal with my dad deciding to move away from me in order to salvage our relationship. All these incidents have shaped me into the person I am today and the person I would like to become in the future. These incidents have caused me to grow more as a person and have also caused me to become a more mature person than I had been. Through the song “Warriors” by Imagine Dragons, the story of when I decided to not attend Signature but Harrison instead will be told. “Until I See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth will show how my dad leaving impacted me and how it affected our relationship. Lastly, “Nothing Left to Say” by Imagine Dragons will depict what exactly was going through my head when I decided to not play softball in college. All of my incidents could have been the wrongs decisions to make, but they were the decisions that have shaped me and have set the mold for the person I am meant to be.
Example 2
Throughout our lives, every single one of us experience a moment of awakening or a revelation. I’ve even heard it referred to as an “aha” moment. These moments occur in a variety of ways in a variety of places. However, despite their apparent randomness, one truth about them remains intact: their impact on each of us is unquantifiable, an indelible mark left on our souls. The most curious aspects of my own “aha” moments is that each of them have a specific song associated with my memory of that time in my life. Music has long been a passion of mine, and I’m very fortunate to have had a soundtrack of sorts to accompany my life. What follows is a recollection of some of my own “aha” moments and the songs forever connected to those moments.
Example 3
“Every life has a soundtrack.” This quote comes from the book, Sing You Home. As I have gotten older, I have learned more of who I am. The situations I have been through have taught me a lot about myself and how to be truly happy. The songs “Believe” by Justin Bieber, “Goodbye” by Russ and “True Friend” by Hannah Montana all describe the events that have gotten me to where I am today. Through dance, relationships, and my true friends, I have become truly happy.
Body - Paragraphs 2, 3, and 4
Each paragraph should, first, identify and tell the story of the event, using sensory details and dialogue (when possible). Bring your reader into that moment. Why is this event important? How does it relate to your thesis?
Introduce the song you've chosen. Why is the song important? How does it relate to the event? What specific lyrics relate to this experience. [See the sample lead-in phrases for lyrics below.]
Example 1
Just before I entered high school, my father made the decision to move to North Carolina for work. I remember nearly everything about that day when he told me he had finally made his decision. It had been a really sunny and warm day -- quite a perfect day. We were sitting on the old, grey couch he had owned for years, and we were just finishing up a meal. He had been quiet; he was always quiet. Then, he spoke. His words were soft and uncertain and very vulnerable. He spoke with emotion; he spoke with more emotion than I had really ever witnessed from him in all the years I knew him. He told me without looking at me; he could never say anything sentimental to me. His words should have been like a punch in the gut. My one and only father was moving several hours away from me; however, all I could feel at that time was relief. He had made one of the best decisions he could in order to save the terrible relationship we had with one another. He decided to move to North Carolina in order to keep me as a daughter. Now, anytime I hear “Until I see you again” by Charlie Puth, I think about my dad. He once told me that he thinks about this song whenever he’s driving away from my house here in order to go back to North Carolina. He told me that he always listens to it, because it seems to fit the mood. Now, whenever I hear it, I think about the day when he told me he was moving away and how much our relationship has improved. The song is slow and somber and much like that day. Some of the lyrics in it also make sense. For example, “....a bond that will never be broken…” is one of the lyrics that relate to the scene I always think about, because he told me that day that our relationship will grow stronger. Eventually, it did. Our bond was not broken.
Example 2
My first moment “aha” moment came during a pretty upsetting time in my life. This girl and I, who had been friends for years, had recently started to develop feelings for one another. Unfortunately, we lived hours away, which made communicating difficult. Additionally, I had just ended a relationship with a girl I had talked to for a long time, and I tried keeping some space between us so I wouldn’t repeat my mistakes. However, when I got the chance to visit her and some of my other friends from that place, things were awkward and I realized that whatever chance we had was gone. As I thought about my situation, the song “Demons” by Imagine Dragons came on my phone. For the first time, it seems, I paid attention to the lyrics, and it just fit so well with how I was feeling. The chorus of the song goes like this, “When you feel my heat, look into my eyes; it’s where my demons hide.” I could relate to this because I felt like I had just been trying to protect her; I had experienced something very painful, and I didn’t want that to happen to her. In the bridge of the song, Imagine Dragons sing, “Your eyes, they shine so bright, I want to save that light;” that’s how I felt when I finally realized that I just had to let her go. Now when I look back on that night, I’m grateful for the maturity it gave me the lessons it taught me.
Example 3
The last moment was a reassurance as to who my true friends are, We all went to Florida together, J., L., P., and I. I was super close with J., and while L., P. and I were close, there was always room to grow closer. On the trip, the parent we were with was a little on edge the whole time and made the trip very stressful, but we all grew closer. On that trip I knew that these would be the girls I would be calling my best friends for hopefully ever. We have all gone through so much together, yet we don’t judge each other. If we could make it through that trip, we could make it through anything. We do everything we can for one another and I just really value them. It relates because knowing that I have true friends makes me happy. I know I have someone I can confide in, and they feel the same. The song that comes to mind when I think about this is, “True Friend” by Hannah Montana, cheesy but true. The song just tells what it is to be a true friend, and is just in general a happy song. The lyrics that speak to me the most are, “ You’re a true friend, you’re here till the end” and “Friends hang on through the ups
Conclusion - Paragraph 5
In the last paragraph offer final remarks and reflection on the events and soundtrack as a whole. Why were these events important to you? How do the accompanying songs help the reader to understand their importance? Finish with a planned closing - maybe a line from a song?
Example 1
In all, the three moments have helped me grow into a better person, but also a happier person. Each of these songs relate to the event that I connected with, not because the song was playing at the time, but when I hear these songs I think of those events. These events just are significant to me in their own ways. Through dancing, ending relationships, and finding my true friends, I have found my true happiness. Every life has a soundtrack, and this is mine.
Example 2
In conclusion, there have been a number of important instances in my life which have led to revelations about my place in the world. Fortunately, I’ve had an abundance of great music accompanying me every step of the way, capturing and immortalizing those emotions which filled my heart in the heat of those moments. Whether it was learning tough lessons about relationships, realizing my calling in life, or defining my purpose goal in life, music has helped me express my feelings and reflect on my thoughts. Music has always been a passion of mine, but recently it’s been much more: a friend.
Example 3
I have grown a tremendous amount over the years. I lost all hope and had to learn late how to appreciate myself. In my earlier years, I feasted on attention and needed constant reassurance. I would not have been strong enough to realize that I can handle myself and I am worthy of more than just mediocre treatment, as is everyone. All these instance show an negative but then increasing trend of my self-esteem. I lost it all much like the author of “Creep” by Radiohead had. Then when I finally thought I had it, it was wretched from me. Just like in the song by the Beatles, I longed for yesterday. Later on, identical to Lily Allen in her song “Smile”, it took a break up for me to finally realize that I am more than just what some person thinks I am. This soundtrack described in details my feelings during key events that shaped my self-esteem. It took a boy breaking my heart for me to grow but now I am the strongest I’ve ever been. Now, I finally “found the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Sample Lead-in phrases for citing lyrics
- Just as (writer/artist) sings/writes/croons “……./…….,” I also……..
- Writer/artist uses the words/phrase/line “….” to illustrate…..which is similar to how I…
- The line “…..” relates to my experience of …..because…..
- With the words “….” ___(artist/writer name)____ illustrates/depicts/conveys….
Including and Punctuation Dialogue
When characters speak, their exact language should be in quotes, and the reader should know who’s speaking, thus these rules:
When I was eight, my father dragged me into my bedroom after I lit a folded pile of his shirts on fire. I sat on the edge of the bed, not looking up, my hands folded mannerly in my lap.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“You lit my shirts on fire, boy? Where’d you learn that?”
“Daycare.”
“What? Daycare? You learned how to light shirts on fire at daycare?”
I froze and looked up the ceiling, trying to backtrack. I actually learned how to light matches by watching him light his pipe, but I couldn’t tell him that.
“A kid brought matches one day. I told him matches were bad.”
“I’m calling your daycare.”
“No,” I said. Okay, I screamed it, and he scowled at me.
“Tell me the truth, lad.”
I took a deep breath and let it slide out: “I hate your shirts, Dad.”
When characters speak, their exact language should be in quotes, and the reader should know who’s speaking, thus these rules:
- Each speaker gets his or her own paragraph; a return and indent. This mimics real conversation, indicating pauses and so forth.
- Attributions (“He said, “She said” and variations to indicate emotion, volume, and tone - use adverbs – angrily, softly, shyly, uncertainly) should be used, but not too much, and varied so they’re not repetitious; they can be used at the start of quotes, in the middle, or at the end. When attributions are overused, they get in the way; the key is that the reader should always know who’s speaking.
- Always use a comma after attribution (She said,) when introducing a quote.
When I was eight, my father dragged me into my bedroom after I lit a folded pile of his shirts on fire. I sat on the edge of the bed, not looking up, my hands folded mannerly in my lap.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“You lit my shirts on fire, boy? Where’d you learn that?”
“Daycare.”
“What? Daycare? You learned how to light shirts on fire at daycare?”
I froze and looked up the ceiling, trying to backtrack. I actually learned how to light matches by watching him light his pipe, but I couldn’t tell him that.
“A kid brought matches one day. I told him matches were bad.”
“I’m calling your daycare.”
“No,” I said. Okay, I screamed it, and he scowled at me.
“Tell me the truth, lad.”
I took a deep breath and let it slide out: “I hate your shirts, Dad.”
Creating Your Works Cited Page
Your Works Cited page will list the songs referenced in the narrative alphabetically using MLA format.
The Purdue OWL website provides these guidelines to create a bibliographic entry for a song. Pay attention to the punctuation between each element of the entry.
Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind, Geffen, 1991.
artist / band "title of song" title of album producer year released
Format of a Works Cited Page
Your Works Cited page will list the songs referenced in the narrative alphabetically using MLA format.
The Purdue OWL website provides these guidelines to create a bibliographic entry for a song. Pay attention to the punctuation between each element of the entry.
Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind, Geffen, 1991.
artist / band "title of song" title of album producer year released
Format of a Works Cited Page