Assignment 1: Personal Narrative On Genre
Who are you? What do you value? What makes you you? Often, personal narratives get to the heart of these questions and serve as an exploration of identity for those who write them. For this essay, you will be asked to reflect on these questions and other to construct a personal narrative. In keeping with the focus of the class, however, these issues of identity should be addressed through the genres that have most influenced you as a person. What genres are your favorites? What media (books, films, music, televisions, social media, et cetera) has had the most influence on who you are? To answer these questions, first, we will define the term “genre” and begin to develop an understanding of how genres function in practical terms. We'll go on to consider the genres we use on a regular basis. These might include particular categories of music, books, magazines, comics, social media, TV shows, films, etc. After that, we'll think about why and how we use these specific genres, what our choice of genres reveals about us as individuals, and how these genres shape our lives.
In conjunction with our fairly broad discussion of genre, we'll examine the distinct conventions and rhetorical strategies of one genre in particular: the personal essay. Through a process that uses multiple drafts, students will develop, revise, and polish a 2000-word essay (double-spaced, 12-point font, MLA format) in which you share with your audience the genres you use on a regular basis, why and how you use these genres, and the role that these genres have played in your life.
For this essay, you might consider several examples of different genres (perhaps a favorite film, musical composition, and comic) or take one genre (perhaps rap music or Instagram) to explore its influence on your life in more depth. For example, if I were to write this essay, there are several books that fall into the category of memoir that have significantly impacted who I am as a person and what ideals and values I hold. I would explore my introduction to these texts and genres (Walden by Henry David Thoreau, No Greater Love by Mother Teresa, and one or two others), and then unpack the ways in which these genres have shaped me. This could be done in a series of vignettes, or a linear narrative: the choice is up to you. Be as creative as you wish—just be sure that genre is the vehicle you use to reflect on your own identity and purpose.
The paper will be composed in three stages--the due dates for each are listed below:
Due Dates for Drafts:
Friday, January 20: Rough Draft (at least 500 words)
Friday, January 27: Second Draft (at least 1500 words)
Friday, February 3: Third Draft (complete, polished draft)
Final draft due in ePortfolio at semester’s end.