Samples Of Narrative Essays

The structure of a narrative essay is also a bit different than other essays.You’ll generally be getting your point across chronologically as opposed to grouping together specific arguments in paragraphs or sections.

All of those ideas feed back into the central motif of establishing your identity.

The important thing to remember is that while a narrative essay is typically told chronologically and intended to read like a story, it is not purely for entertainment value.

Though your motif choices may feel at times like you’re making a point the way you would in an argumentative essay, a narrative essay’s goal is to tell a story, not convince the reader of anything.

Your reader should be able to tell what your motif is from reading, but you don’t have to change their mind about anything.

For example, say you want to write a narrative essay about how your first day in high school helped you establish your identity.

You might discuss events like trying to figure out where to sit in the cafeteria, having to describe yourself in five words as an icebreaker in your math class, or being unsure what to do during your lunch break because it’s no longer acceptable to go outside and play during lunch.Unlike other essay forms, it is totally okay—even expected—to use first-person narration in narrative essays.If you’re writing a story about yourself, it’s natural to refer to yourself within the essay.But unlike a simple work of creative fiction, your narrative essay must have a clear and concrete motif—a recurring theme or idea that you’ll explore throughout.Narrative essays are less rigid, more creative in expression, and therefore pretty different from most other essays you’ll be writing.A narrative essay delivers its theme by deliberately weaving the motifs through the events, scenes, and details.While a narrative essay may be entertaining, its primary purpose is to tell a complete story based on a central meaning.A narrative essay is one of the most intimidating assignments you can be handed at any level of your education.Where you've previously written argumentative essays that make a point or analytic essays that dissect meaning, a narrative essay asks you to write what is effectively a story.Unlike many creative stories, however, your narrative essay should be based in fact.That doesn’t mean that every detail needs to be pure and untainted by imagination, but rather that you shouldn’t wholly invent the events of your narrative essay.