Shearer / Unit One Assignment / English102

1. Unit One:
Writing a Personal Narrative About Place & Identity
“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.”
– Joan Didion
The places and spaces you navigate have the unique ability to shape your sense of identity. Each place
has its own history, landscape, and personal connections, and in this essay you will explore these
elements from a first-person perspective. In brief, you will write what you know, or what only you can
see.
First, think about a place or space that is important to you and has influenced or changed how you think
about the world. This can be anywhere, but examples include your childhood home, a favorite hiking
trail, the city or town where you grew up, or even an environment you might not have considered before,
like the internet or a favorite film. This place/space should have shaped some aspect of your identity,
changed you in an important way, or simply reveal how you see the world.
You will compose a personal essay that explores some aspect of the relationship between your
identity and this important place/space, taking inspiration from the personal essays we have read
in class.
This essay will use a first-person point of view (“I”) and be strictly nonfiction, which means that all the
events within should be true to your own experience. It should describe the place you are engaging with
and explain your personal relationship to it.
Requirements:
• A clear, creative description of your chosen place or space.
• A personal narrative about this place or space, which details your interaction with it using the
various narrative techniques we have discussed in class.
• A thoughtful analysis of how your chosen environment has shaped your identity, including clear
examples. How has this place played a part in who you are now?
• You are free to use research if necessary, but you should weave this research in with your own
personal narrative. This essay is meant to reflect the place/space as it appears to you, why it is
important, and what the reader should know to understand this importance. (And if you do use
research, please cite it according to MLA formatting)
• Be creative: explore your personal writing voice to decide which tone and style are most
effective.
Audience:
• Write this essay toward an audience of your peers
Format:
• This essay should be four pages minimum and will need to follow MLA 8 formatting and
citation guidelines.

2. Grading Rubric
Narrative
30 Points
Content
30 Points
Organization
20 Points
Formatting
10 Points
Rough Draft
10 Points
A
90-100 Total
Points
You implement
strong narrative
components
throughout the
piece.
The voice and
perspective is clear
and compelling.
Your description of
the environment is
detailed and
creative.
You thoroughly
explore how your
identity and this
place/space are
linked throughout
the essay.
The writing moves
quick and clean
through a well-
structured form.
Transitions are artful
and tied into topic
sentences.
MLA 8 format is
used correctly
with no errors.
A complete rough
draft was
submitted.
Feedback was
taken whole-
heartedly into
account in
revision.
B
80-89
Total Points
You use several
narrative
components well at
various points in the
essay.
Your description of
the environment is
clear and
thoughtful.
You begin to
explore how
identity and this
place/space are
linked throughout
the essay.
Writing follows a
clear organization
with transitions and
topic sentences that
rise slightly above
being only “good
enough.”
MLA 8 format
used correctly
with only a few
errors.
A complete rough
draft was
submitted.
Feedback was
generally
incorporated
C
70-79
Total Points
You attempt
narrative
components in
several areas of the
essay.
You have described
the environment
and linked it to
your own identity,
but this element is
not clear and/or not
woven throughout
the essay.
Writing is organized
in a logical manner.
Transitions and topic
sentences are
simple.
MLA 8 format is
used but with
distracting errors.
A very rough draft
was submitted.
Feedback was
slightly
incorporated.
NC
No Credit
Narrative
components are
completely absent
from the writing.
There is no
description of the
environment, nor is
there a clear
connection between
it and your identity.
Writing does not
follow any clear
structure.
Transitions and topic
sentences are absent.
MLA 8 style is not
followed in any
way.
No rough draft
was submitted.