1. State University of New York, New Paltz
Composition I / Rigolino
Essay #2: Literacy Narrative
Requirements: 750-words; MLA 2009 Formatting
Literacy Narrative: General Directions
A literacy narrative traditionally tells a story about your personal engagement with reading
and/or writing. However, a literacy narrative may also include the story of becoming literate or
developing competence or knowledge in an area such as math or music. Basically, you will pick
an event from your past—either positive or negative—and connect that event to your current
feelings about and/or abilities in the area you have chosen to write about (ex. reading/writing;
mathematics; music; technology; science, etc.).
Literacy Narrative: Guidelines
 A well-told story. As with most narratives, those about literacy often set up some sort of
situation that needs to be resolved. That need for resolution makes readers want to keep
reading. Conflicts and/or obstacles are essential to good story-telling.
 Vivid detail. Details can bring a narrative to life for readers by giving them vivid mental
images of the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the world in which your story
takes place.The details you use when describing something can help readers picture
places, people, and events; dialogue can help them hear what is being said.
 Significance: A literacy narrative tells something the writer remembers about learning to
read or write (or becoming competent in an area such as math, technology, music, etc.).
In addition, the writer needs to make clear why the incident matters to him or her. Many
writers use the concluding paragraph(s) to reflect on the narrative and its meaning.
Choosing a Topic
Because this is a brief essay, you will likely want to focus on a single event that took place
during a relatively brief period of time.
For example:
 any early memory about writing or reading (or becoming competent in math, music,
technology etc.) that you recall vividly
 someone who taught you to read or write (or to be competent in a particular area like
math, music, technology, etc.)
 a book or other text that has been significant for you in some way
 an event at school that was interesting, humorous, or embarrassing

2.  a writing or reading task/assignment (again, you can write about an area other than
reading and writing in English) that you found (or still find) difficult or challenging
 the origins of your current attitudes about writing or reading (math, science, technology,
music, etc.)
 perhaps more recent challenges: learning to write instant messages, learning to write
email appropriately, learning to construct a Web page
Considering the Rhetorical Situation
PURPOSE: Why do you want to tell this story? To share a memory with others? To fulfill an
assignment? To teach a lesson? To explore your past learning? Think about the reasons for your
choice and how they will shape what you write.
AUDIENCE : Are your readers likely to have had similar experiences? Would they tell similar
stories? How much explaining will you have to do to help them understand your narrative? Can
you assume that they will share your attitudes toward your story, or will you have to work at
making them see your perspective? How much about your life are you willing to share with this
audience?
STANCE: What attitude do you want to project? Affectionate? Neutral? Critical? Do you wish
to be sincere? serious? humorously detached? self-critical? self-effacing? Something else? How
do you want your readers to see you?
Refer to: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/write/fieldguide/writing_guides.asp#06