English 101 PERSONAL MEMOIR Assignment Instructions

Content: A personal memoir is “a narrative [story] composed from personal experience” (Merriam-Webster). In other words, it is a type of writing based on the memories from an author’s personal experience. In fact, the word “memoir” comes from the French word “mémoire,” meaning “memory.” A memoir is written from a first-person point of view, using the pronoun “I.” For this assignment, your task is to write a four-paragraph essay in which you explore a memory that is important to you.

Pick a vivid memory that you can describe in detail. The memory may be happy, humorous, fun, sad, or something else. It may be about a relationship with another member of your family, a struggle of values, solving a problem, an important milestone or event in your life, or a fun experience that you think other people might find interesting. Choose one memory, or a single event that you remember well. Include information about the time and place of the memory. Where were you? What time of day was it? What season? What was the weather like? How old were you? Who or what was there? Describe and evaluate the memory, and explain what you were like before and after the experience. Use your five senses as much as possible. Think of colors, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds that you remember. How did you feel at the time? Did you grow? Did you learn something? Be as specific as possible. The more descriptive the memoir, the better it will be! End your memoir by telling your readers what you learned from the experience. Remember to give your essay an engaging title that hints at the memoir’s overall meaning or “theme.

Make sure each paragraph follows the prompts in the organization document as well as our paragraph guidelines. Type the memoir in a Microsoft Word document in MLA 9 Style, using double-spacing and Times New Roman font, size 12.