Understanding Personal Narratives
What are the 3 characteristics of a personal narrative?
1. First person point of view
2. True events
3. Focuses on personal experiences and emotions
What is a personification?
Describing a nonhuman thing with human qualities.
What holiday does Richard Blanco want to celebrate like an American?
Thanksgiving
What are sensory details?
Details that use the five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound).
What is dialogue?
A conversation that takes places between characters and is marked by quotation marks in the text (prose).
This personal narrative was written by Richard Blanco and takes place during November 1970.
"The First Real San Giving"
What is the definition of point of view?
How the author or characters feel about their subject.
There are three points of view- first person POV, second person POV, and third person POV.
How are similes and metaphors alike? How are they different?
Similes and metaphors both compare two unlike things. Only similes use the words "like" or "as" to compare.
What conflict does Blanco have with his abuela about Thanksgiving?
His abuela does not understand the traditional American Thanksgiving and is used to celebrating with Cuban traditions.
Give an example of a strong verbs you could use instead of "walk."
stroll, marched, tiptoed, trudge, wander, stride
What is wrong with this sentence?
Alex said “I know why the chicken crossed the road.”
Missing the comma after said:
Alex said, “I know why the chicken crossed the road.”
Give examples of unjust practices and rules of segregation that were detailed in Rosa Parks' "My Story."
1. After paying the bus fare at the front of the bus, African Americans had to then get off the bus and reenter through the rear door. Sometimes bus drivers would ride off before the passengers could re-board the bus.
2. The front seats of the bus were reserved for white passengers.
3. African American often had to give up their seats in the African American section if white seats were full.
What is the definition of a personal narrative?
A personal narrative is a nonfiction, true story told in the first person by someone who was involved in the event being described.
Is this a simile or a metaphor?
Life is a stage and we are all actors.
A metaphor
What compromise does abuela make about Thanksgiving dinner?
Abuela agrees to have turkey but insists on also making pork (carne Puerto).
Give two examples of strong verbs?
Dashed, sprinted, bolted, scrambled, scurried...
What is wrong with this sentence?
“You can’t fly a kite in a thunderstorm!” Exclaimed Chris.
exclaimed should NOT be capitalized.
In "A View of the Earth," why was the repair to the spectrograph so difficult?
The spectrograph was sealed with an access panel containing 117 screws, all glued down. Michael struggled to get the handle off of the access panel.
What is the tone of this passage?
"Really? Reopen the Museum of Giant Rocks? What a brilliant idea by the mayor and his advisors. Of course every town is better off with smashed stores, crushed cars, and citizens running for their lives from huge boulders rolling down the middle of Main Street."
The tone is sarcastic
Is this a simile or a metaphor?
Ms. Wagner's classroom looked like it was hit by a hurricane.
A simile
How does Richard Blanco try to learn more about traditional American Thanksgiving foods?
1. He asks his teacher and classmates about Thanksgiving foods like stuffing, yams, and pumpkin pie.
2. He spoke to a woman in the grocery store that told him about instant mash potatoes and frozen pumpkin pie.
What are strong adjectives?
Gorgeous, slimy, disgusting, revolting, enchanting, stunning
What is wrong with this sentence?
“Can I borrow that book.” Vincent asked.
There should be a question mark about the word book.
“Can I borrow that book?” Vincent asked.
Jennifer Lou describes her childhood as "rough" because of this reason.
Jennifer felt like she didn't belong because of her appearance and lack of a middle name.
Why is it important for a personal narrative to be written in the first person?
Writing in the first person makes the story more personal and the reader understands the narrators tone, feelings, and thoughts.
What is the human quality or action in this sentence?
The chocolate cake in the fridge was calling my name.
The cake calling my name
What is a character trait that describes Richard Blanco? Explain your answer.
Determined or persistent because he tries several different times to get information on how to cook traditional American Thanksgiving food. He doesn't give up when the turkey is difficult to bring home. He keeps trying until he is successful.
Why is it important to include showing details in a personal narrative?
Sensory details (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) make a story more vivid and real by helping the reader make a movie in their mind as well as experience the events as if they were there.
What is wrong with this sentence?
Please let me stay the night at Anna’s house, Lisa begged.
There are missing quotation marks.
"Please let me stay the night at Anna’s house," Lisa begged.
What was the mode of transportation described in "Step by Step?"
A segregated train