This document provides instructions for a personal narrative assignment requiring students to analyze a message that has resonated with them. It instructs students to describe the content of the message, analyze the medium through which they received the message multiple times, and reflect on how analyzing the message has changed their perspective. The narrative should be structured like a story, using the analysis of the message to reveal aspects of the student's identity, influences, relationships, and experiences as a consumer in their generation and culture.

1. Palmer​ ​Eng.​ ​102
Personal​ ​Narrative​​ ​(~750​ ​words​ ​or​ ​2.5​ ​pages)
A​ ​“message,”​ ​or​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​a​ ​communicator​ ​wants​ ​you​ ​to​ ​think,​ ​believe,​ ​or​ ​act​ ​on,​ ​is​ ​something​ ​we
are​ ​subjected​ ​to​ ​nearly​ ​all​ ​the​ ​time.​ ​Identify​ ​a​ ​message​ ​that​ ​has,​ ​at​ ​some​ ​point​ ​in​ ​your​ ​life,
resonated​ ​with​ ​you​ ​-​ ​something​ ​you’ve​ ​believed,​ ​learned​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​time​ ​or​ ​changed​ ​an​ ​opinion
on,​ ​or​ ​otherwise​ ​“accepted.”
1.​ ​​Describe​ ​the​ ​​content​:​ ​what​ ​is​ ​this​ ​message?​ ​What​ ​does​ ​it​ ​mean?​ ​What​ ​implications​ ​does​ ​it
carry​ ​-​ ​for​ ​you,​ ​for​ ​those​ ​that​ ​agree,​ ​and​ ​disagree?​ ​Did​ ​how​ ​you​ ​​think​​ ​about​ ​the​ ​message​ ​lead​ ​to
changed​ ​​actions​?​ ​Has​ ​there​ ​been​ ​tension​ ​between​ ​you​ ​and​ ​those​ ​that​ ​don’t​ ​accept​ ​this​ ​message?
2.​ ​​Next,​ ​analyze​ ​the​ ​​medium​​ ​of​ ​the​ ​message.​ ​How​ ​was​ ​it​ ​relayed​ ​(in​ ​what​ ​form/s)?​ ​Is​ ​it
something​ ​you’ve​ ​come​ ​across​ ​many​ ​times?​ ​Through​ ​a​ ​magazine​ ​article,​ ​a​ ​class​ ​lesson,​ ​a​ ​speech,
a​ ​conversation,​ ​a​ ​billboard?​ ​Pick​ ​two​ ​of​ ​these​ ​forms​ ​of​ ​the​ ​message.​ ​Discuss​ ​their​ ​sources
(creators​ ​and​ ​their​ ​​ethos,​​ ​or​ ​authority),​ ​delivery​ ​(style​ ​and​ ​tone),​ ​and​ ​assumptions​ ​about​ ​you​ ​as
the​ ​receiver.
3.​ ​​Lastly,​ ​reflect​ ​on​ ​this​ ​process​ ​of​ ​approaching​ ​the​ ​message:​ ​does​ ​analyzing​ ​any​ ​of​ ​the​ ​above
context​ ​make​ ​you​ ​see​ ​it​ ​in​ ​a​ ​different​ ​way?​ ​Why​ ​or​ ​why​ ​not?
Structure​:​ ​Tell​ ​it​ ​like​ ​a​ ​story.​ ​What​ ​does​ ​this​ ​one​ ​idea,​ ​tell​ ​us​ ​about​ ​you​ ​as​ ​a​ ​person?​ ​What​ ​does
where​ ​the​ ​message​ ​came​ ​from,​ ​tell​ ​us​ ​about​ ​your​ ​influences?​ ​Your​ ​relationships?​ ​What​ ​does​ ​the
medium​​ ​tell​ ​us​ ​about​ ​your​ ​life​ ​as​ ​a​ ​millenial/​ ​consumer/​ ​American/​ ​male/​ ​female,​ ​etc?​ ​Make​ ​it​ ​an
interesting,​ ​investigative​ ​get-to-know-you​ ​piece.​ ​Don’t​ ​make​ ​it​ ​dry​ ​and​ ​detached.