Guide’s Writing a Literacy Narrative Essay + Example

Let me explain, in my family (and in the families of my friends, in the place where I grew up) it is common practice to gather in the evening around the dinner table and tell each other stories. Not only at the dinner table, but basically anywhere in the house. It could be a fire place or the garden, if it is summertime. In my family, the tradition of telling stories was quite strong.

I remember those warm summer nights when our whole family (including grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and so on) gathered on the porch. Grandma and grandpa would tell us stories from their youth. Furthermore, we (the children) would learn from adults stories of how they met, the funny and difficult situations that they encountered in life; these stories were sometimes very sad and other times hilarious. At the end of these “therapeutic sessions,” as I like to call them, we all felt relaxed and deeply satisfied. You see, I felt that these stories worked as a sort of glue. They connected us as a family on a rather deep level.

Another important thing that I would like to focus on is that in my home environment children were encouraged to tell their stories as well. As soon as they learned how to talk, adults would approach them just like they would approach another adult, asking (for instance): “Tell me, how did your day (activity) go?” Growing up, I spent much time with my grandmother. I remember how she would ask me questions about myself, how my day went, and what I felt. She showed interest in my stories, which made me feel noticed and special. In fact, this is one of the deepest forms of respect that I know — caring for another person’s feelings. Every individual’s life is a story infused with emotions and feelings. This is why sharing stories with each other is so important. This way, we get to know another person and open up ourselves to them; thus, we are brought closer. Moreover, when we are listened to, we feel special. The feeling of importance and significance is the most precious thing that we can give to anybody. When a child feels important early on in life, he/she learns to value not only himself/herself, but also others.

Therefore, in my writing (and as a writer) I am most fascinated by the story-based narrative. I find it very familiar and exciting. When the reader encounters a story which has a clear beginning, middle, and an ending, he/she remains focused the whole time. Therefore, my background of story-telling and listening to others’ stories has taught me that any good story has a clear plot, is infused with emotions, and has a clear goal, which is rooted in a state of complete honesty.

Without complete honesty (in motives and feelings) the story will fail. The listener or reader feels that something is off and loses interest. Hence, when I write, I aim to tell stories that come from the heart; by this, I mean stories that keep one both focused and excited. In order to achieve this effect, the writer has to stay tuned into his/her inner core. The feelings and emotions that are expressed in the plot have to be genuine. The thing is, I have noticed that when I try to impress others in my speech and writing, they seem less than impressed. Yet, when I am completely natural and authentic, they remain focused and interested in my story the whole time.

Part 2

After reading the interview with Elaine Richardson, I could outline the following themes which impacted her development and growth as a writer. First of all, her mother had a significant impact on her writing. She takes great care to talk about her mother, describing her personal qualities, character, dreams, and background. In fact, I can empathize with this. Oftentimes, we are shaped by our caregivers. I would even say most times. In the case of Richardson, her mother had a substantial impact on her worldview as a writer.

Not only does one come to view the world through the prism of the ones he/she loves, but at a certain point in life we may resemble our loved ones to a great extent (in terms of personality and character). In particular, when we are loyal to somebody (emotionally), we focus deeply on that person. Of course, in some cases people may be shaped by social circumstances more than by their loved ones. Yet, in the case of Richardson, her mother had a decisive and crucial effect on her writing themes and topics. In the interview, Richardson shares with us that her mother read poetry and invested much time in educating her children. It is no wonder that Richardson’s focus is shifted so much to her mother’s personality and presence; in the interview, one can feel that she experiences a deep and loving bond with her mom.

Yet another experience which shaped Richardson’s worldview was her early pregnancy at the age of thirteen. She became pregnant, yet had an abortion, since she could not imagine giving her child away. In fact, given her deep bond with her own mother, I understand why it was unthinkable for her that she could give her child up for adoption. Nevertheless, abortions and early pregnancies can be deeply traumatizing experiences, especially for a young woman, a teenager. Richardson stresses that she knew (and her mother knew) that it was important to get a proper education. Hence, I could presume that an inner conflict persisted inside of Richardson’s mind. On the one hand, she had a deep connection with her mother; therefore, it must have been very difficult to abort her own child. On the other hand, her mother did menial labor and knew how difficult it was; she did not want her daughter to have a similar fate. In fact, the idea of being educated was put at the top of the priority list by Richardson’s mother. In the interview, she stresses that when she was falling apart psychologically, the things her mother told her (about the importance of getting an education) helped her overcome these difficulties.

Based on the interview, Richardson underwent some highly stressful events in her life. She was a mother, yet, at the same time, she was on drugs. Her drug addiction broke her into pieces. At the same time, she felt extremely guilty about “throwing away” all those opportunities that her parents fought for in the first place. In fact, she talks about her disengagement at school and how she flunked out of school. Yet, at the same time, she does talk about being an intellectual and having an academic perspective. Based on all that has been said, Richardson is a multifaceted and talented artist, writer, singer, etc. On the one part, her life experiences have supplied her with wit and depth. On the other part, her education and sharp intellect have given her the necessary tools for translating her passion and experience into various creative endeavors.

References

The literacy narratives of black columbus. (2010). Digital Archive of Literacy Narratives, 4(1), pp. 133-157.