Memoir Narratives and Poem

A Memoir is an account of the personal experiences of an author which offer reflection and insight into the
shared human experience of life.

For your memoir you have been given four brainstorm categories (person, place, object, and time) and been
given several model texts for the reflective narrative style ( Halloween by Jerry Seinfeld, a portion of The
Narrative of Frederick Douglass, On Turning Ten by Billy Collins, and What I remember about the 6th grade
by Mark Vinz) and model text for the literary period (Aint I a Woman by Sojourner Truth and several Stephen
Crane poems).

Student will create either a realistic narrative or a naturalistic poem. The goal is to create a work of writing that
is relatable, reflective, and rich with well-chosen literary devices.

For the Literary Period these criteria will be evaluated.

Realism Naturalism

A. Represents daily life realistically A. Human behavior was determined by heredity

B. Focuses on why people did what they did B. Human behavior was determined by environment

C. Use details to emphasize a particular region of the United C. Characters have limited choices or help
States

D. Presents things neutrally D. Total lack of supernatural care or help

(not positively or negatively)

For Literary devices the following will be REQUIRED

1. Interesting Opening 5. Specific details 9. Relatable 13. Conflict

2. Reflective conclusion 6. Examples 10. Vivid Characters 14. Suspense

3. Well-Organized 7. Explanations 11. Developed Setting 15. Character Development

4. Thoughts 8.Imagery 12. Description

These Literary devices will be evaluated in order to assess whether the literary work will be considered rich
with well-chosen literary devices

1. Hyperbole 4. Dialect 7. Metaphor

2. Irony 5. Slang 8. Humor

3. Dialogue 6. Simile 9. Repetition

Each student should complete three peer-review sheet along with their own self reflection sheet.
 Literary Devices and Effect Peer Review Sheet
Your name
1st Peer Reviewer:
2nd Peer Reviewer:
3 rd Peer Reviewer:
Suggestions for Diction and Tone: Choose a word or phrase that the author choose that could be improved
by a different word.
Word or Phrase from Denotation (Literal Meaning) Connotation Suggestions for new diction
the Text (positive or
negative
associations with
the word)

1.

2.

3.

Suggestions for adding figurative language Choose a word or phrase that the author choose that could be
improved by the use of figurative language
Word or Phrase from Denotation (Literal Meaning) Connotation Suggestions for figurative
the Text (positive or language addition that keeps
negative the same tone. (The suggestion
associations with should be a simile, hyperbole,
the word) imagery, personification and
metaphor)

1.

2.

3.
Theme Identification and Development
1. 2. 3.

What do you think the writers

theme is for this piece?

What main points does the

writer make about the theme?

What details does the writer

use to support the theme?

What Literary Devices do you see?

1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3.

1. Interesting Opening 13. Hyperbole

2. Reflective conclusion 14. Irony

3. Well-Organized 15. Dialogue

4. Specific details 16. Thoughts

5. Examples 17. Dialect

6. Explanations 18. Slang

7. Imagery 19. Repetition

8. Vivid Characters 20. Simile

9. Developed Setting 21.metaphor

10. Conflict 22.Relatable

11. Suspense 23.humor

12. Character 24. Character Development

What Literary Devices do you see?

Realism 1. 2. 3. Naturalism 1. 2. 3.

A. Represents daily life A. Human behavior was determined by

realistically heredity

B. Focuses on why people did B. Human behavior was determined by

what they did environment

C. Use details to emphasize a C. Characters have limited choices or help

particular region of the United States

D. Presents things neutrally D. Total lack of supernatural care or help

(not positively or negatively)
 Self Reflection Memoir Sheet
Take a YELLOW highlighter and in your final draft mark three (3) places where realism is evident.
Realism Naturalism

A. Represents daily life realistically A. Human behavior was determined by heredity

B. Focuses on why people did what they did B. Human behavior was determined by environment

C. Use details to emphasize a particular region of the United States C. Characters have limited choices or help

D. Presents things neutrally (not positively or negatively) D. Total lack of supernatural care or help

Take an ORANGE highlighter and in your final draft mark three (3) places where these literary devices and
present (NOT Required)
1. Hyperbole 4. Dialect 7. Metaphor

2. Irony 5. Slang 8. Humor

3. Dialogue 6. Simile 9. Repetition

Answer the following questions and attach them to your final draft on notebook paper.
1. What specific details were the hardest for you to write about and why?
2. What specific details were the easiest for you to write about and why?
3. What do you think is most relatable about your memoir and why?
4. How do you think your memoir is a valid representation of realism or naturalism?
5. What do you hope people will take away after reading your memoir?
10 7 5

RL2: I can create literature with a strong I attempted to create literature I have shown little evidence that I
Theme central theme or central idea with with a strong central theme or can literature with a strong
relevant details. central idea with some relevant central theme or central idea.
details

W3: I can write narrative texts about I attempted to write narrative My writing has effective event
Narrative real experiences using texts about real or experiences sequences and makes it difficult
Writing well-chosen details and effective but had only some well-chosen to classify it as a narrative
event sequences. details and effective event
sequences.

RL3: I can make effective choices I falter sometimes when I have made poor choices
Character regarding character development making choices regarding regarding character development
and and structure to make an engaging character development and and engaging my audience.
structure experience for my audience structure to make an engaging
experience for my audience

RL4: I can make effective choices I falter sometimes when I have made poor choices
Figurative regarding word choice to make my making choices regarding regarding word choice to make
Language work engaging for my audience. word choice to make my work my work engaging for my
engaging for my audience. audience.

RL9:Chara I can write effectively and include I falter sometimes when include I make poor choices when trying
cteristics of characteristics of 19th century characteristics of 19th century to include characteristics of 19th
the literary literature. literature. century literature.
period