Narration
The essays below tell a story to support their theses. You can learn to write a good narrative essay from these websites:
Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL): Narrative Essays
wikiHow: How to Write a Narrative Essay
All writers in this collection speak for themselves—and themselves alone.
A visual representation of this collection exists on Pinterest.
Emily Yoffe, Slate's "Dear Prudie" and a reformed beagle owner, explains why these headstrong little monsters might not be the best choice for a first-time dog owner.
Narration • Humans & Their Animals • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Cheating in College [Video]
YouTube vlogger sWooZie describes what happened after he spotted two friends cheating on a humanities exam.
Narration • School Life • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
This brief memoir examines the conflict within a family when an economic reality crashes into a cultural value. Writer Jiayang Fan tries to understand why her parents accused her of a family "crime" that she did not commit and did not understand.
Narration • Identity • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Timothy Braun, a writer and teacher, describes how his life changed after rescuing Dusty, a shelter dog on death row.
Narration • Humans & Their Animals • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Essayist Jo Ann Beard recounts a workplace shooting.
Narration • Modern Challenges • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts
Candy Crowley, a CNN reporter and devoted dog person, explains how two cats changed her opinion of felines.
Narration • Humans & Their Animals • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Actor Arthur Chu describes his history as a gamer to show his understanding of and anger at the Gamergate community.
Narration • Modern Challenges • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Former Miami Herald Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dave Barry finally gets a colonoscopy (and we all get to read about it).
Narration • Times & Places • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Essayist David Sedaris describes a flight to Paris in which he takes advantage of first-class seating, meets a grieving man, and wonders about the genuineness of people, including himself.
Narration • Identity • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Novelist Teddy Wayne recounts a plagiarism episode and the lesson that he eventually learned from it.
Narration • School Life • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Writer Abby Sher, a 40-year-old mother, writes about her young daughter learning to deal with death.
Narration • Love & Relationships • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
George Orwell, best known for the novels 1984 and Animal Farm, recounts his experiences at St. Cyprian's, an English preparatory school for boys.
Narration • School Life • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts
Judith Newman, Gus's mother, movingly demonstrates that modern interactions via technology aren't all bad.
Narration • Love & Relationships • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author
Novelist Tim O'Brien, a Vietnam veteran, explores war, love, history, depression, and loss.
Narration • Times & Places • First Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts
Writer Karen Donley-Hayes shares her regrets during her college experience.
Narration • School Life • Second Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts
Essayist E. Tammy Kim follows the path of a low-income student from high-school graduation to college acceptance.
Narration • School Life • Third Person • Discussion Questions & Writing Prompts • Connect with Author