Narration

The essays below tell a story to support their theses. You can learn to write a good narrative essay from these websites:

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.

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YouTube vlogger sWooZie describes what happened after he spotted two friends cheating on a humanities exam.

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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.

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Timothy Braun, a writer and teacher, describes how his life changed after rescuing Dusty, a shelter dog on death row.

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Essayist Jo Ann Beard recounts a workplace shooting.

Narration • Modern ChallengesFirst PersonDiscussion Questions & Writing Prompts


Candy Crowley, a CNN reporter and devoted dog person, explains how two cats changed her opinion of felines.

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Actor Arthur Chu describes his history as a gamer to show his understanding of and anger at the Gamergate community.

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Former Miami Herald Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dave Barry finally gets a colonoscopy (and we all get to read about it).

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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.

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Novelist Teddy Wayne recounts a plagiarism episode and the lesson that he eventually learned from it.

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Writer Abby Sher, a 40-year-old mother, writes about her young daughter learning to deal with death.

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George Orwell, best known for the novels 1984 and Animal Farm, recounts his experiences at St. Cyprian's, an English preparatory school for boys.

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Judith Newman, Gus's mother, movingly demonstrates that modern interactions via technology aren't all bad.

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Novelist Tim O'Brien, a Vietnam veteran, explores war, love, history, depression, and loss.

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Writer Karen Donley-Hayes shares her regrets during her college experience.

Narration • School LifeSecond PersonDiscussion Questions & Writing Prompts


Essayist E. Tammy Kim follows the path of a low-income student from high-school graduation to college acceptance.

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