English 0950
Spring 2005

Essay #1 -- A Personal-Response Essay

After reading Sheila O'Connor's novel, Where No Gods Came, write an essay in which you connect something in the novel to something in your own life.  To begin, think about all the people and things that happen in the novel.  Page through the novel again if you have to.  Then, think about the specific characters, places, events, and actions in the novel.  Perhaps ask yourself these questions:

• Is there a particular character in the novel that reminds me of myself or someone I know?  What is it about this character that is so familiar?  How do I see myself in this character?

• Is there a particular setting in the novel that reminds me of somewhere I go now or somewhere I've been before?

• Is there a particular event, or action, or scene in the novel that reminds me of something I've done or something I've seen happen to someone else?

Try to pick a topic that is vivid in your mind, something that you know or remember well, something that interests you.  Don't worry for the moment about whether or not it will interest someone else (your readers).  Obviously, you probably know yourself very well, who you are, where you've been, and what you've done.  But, if you decide to pick someone else you know, or something that you've seen happen to someone else, be sure that you have enough to say about it before picking it.

Brainstorm using the "journalist's questions" -- who, what, when, where, how, and why?  Who was there?  What happened?  When did it happen?  Where did it happen?  How did it happen?  And, maybe most importantly, why did it happen, or why is it important?  Your goal at this point is to generate a lot of "raw material" that you can pick from as you are drafting your essay.  Don't skimp on this "prewriting" time.  The more specific details you can generate now, the better your essay will be later.  And, part of your essay grade will be based on your use of specific examples, facts, and details.

Once you feel ready to begin drafting your essay, follow the structure described below.  Be sure to study this structure carefully; part of your essay grade will be based on how carefully you follow it.

Structure:

I.) Introduction -- One paragraph where you identify the author and title of the book we are reading and then briefly summarize the part of the story, the scene, the setting, the character, or the element you have chosen to respond to.  An example introductory paragraph might look like this:

• Sheila O'Connor's book, Where No Gods Came, is a novel about a 12-year-old girl named Faina McCoy who goes to live with her mother and sister in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when her dad takes a job on an oil rig in the Indian Ocean.  At one point in the story, Faina is invited to a Halloween party, but when she gets there, the girls talk her into going to a graveyard to play hide-and-seek, but she really doesn't want to go with them.  In another part of the story, Faina's sister takes her to see the Christmas display on the eighth floor of a downtown Minneapolis department story.  When I read about these two things, I was reminded of similar things that I have done and experienced in my own life.

II.) Body -- Several paragraphs (at least three but possibly more) developed entirely from your personal experiences and observations (use the details you generated during your brainstorming sessions -- see above).  Refer to the book only as necessary in the body of your essay-- save most of your "connecting" or "comparing" comments for your conclusion.  Narrate and/or describe the person, setting, situation, event, scene, or action you have chosen from your life.  (If you are describing yourself, be sure to pick only those details that most closely connect and relate to the character you have chosen from the book.)  For example:

• If I were to write this section, I would tell two shorter stories: one about a time when my cousins and I played hide-and-seek in a graveyard during the visitation evening before a family funeral, and another about a time when my mother took my sister and I to Dayton's eighth floor to see the Christmas display.  I would describe the setting of each situation very carefully, but then I would also focus on what we did.  I might also describe what I was thinking or feeling as these things were happening and/or what I think or feel about them now.

III.) Conclusion -- One paragraph where you make some final comments about how the part of the book you have chosen relates to the part from your own life.  Perhaps consider these questions before you write the conclusion: How are they connected or similar?  How or why did one remind you of the other?  What have you gained from examining the connection?  What should others get out of reading about this from your experiences or your observations?  Here is where you focus more on the book again, so that your essay comes "full circle" in a way.  For example:

• If I were to write this section, I might conclude by returning to the book to summarize what Faina McCoy was thinking and feeling when these scenes took place.  I could say what Faina did next and/or how the scenes made her act or how they affected her later on.  I could then compare and contrast her reactions, thoughts, and feelings about her experiences to my own reactions, thoughts, and feelings.

Possible Structure Variations:

There are a few different ways to organize your paper, based on how many different parts of the O'Connor novel you want to write about.  For example:

I.  Introduction
II.  Body -- tell one long story about something in your life that connects to something in the novel
III.  Conclusion

I.  Introduction
II.  Body #1 -- tell one medium-length story about something in your life that connects to something in the novel
III.  Body #2 -- tell a second medium-length story about something in your life that connects to something in the novel
IV.  Conclusion

I.  Introduction
II.  Body #1 -- tell one shorter-length story about something in your life that connects to something in the novel
III.  Body #2 -- tell a second shorter-length story about something in your life that connects to something in the novel
IV.  Body #3 -- tell a third shorter-length story about something in your life that connects to something in the novel
V.  Conclusion

Dates:

ROUGH DRAFT: Your rough draft should be word-processed, double-spaced, and three (3) copies are due at the beginning of class on Friday, January 28. 2005.

CONFERENCES: You will be expected to do more work on your draft before your conference.  This "advanced draft" is due at your conference along with at least three (3) questions that you have about your writing.

EDITING SESSION: One (1) copy of an "almost-final" draft is due at the beginning of class on Friday, February 11. 2005.

FINAL DRAFT and PORTFOLIO: Due at the beginning of class on Monday, February 14, 2005.  I will show you specific formatting directions before this due date.  We will also talk beforehand about what you need to include in your portfolio and how your final draft will be read and graded/evaluated.

Any Questions?