Personal Narrative

Nickolson 1 Kate Nickolson Wilson Period 3 March 15, 2019

The house shook as I heard the screaming from the kitchen. Sudden shouts would erupt back and forth. It drove me insane listening to them argue. Just hearing the complaining made my blood boil. Why was I stressing out over their problems? I wasn't the one getting in trouble. My sister Emily had been lashing out on my parents for years. They didn’t even realize how it was effecting me. I slightly opened the door trying the eavesdrop on the loud conversation. The hallway was pitch black with a little bit of light peeking from downstairs. “I can do whatever I want!” yelled my sister. “If your living under this house you will live by our rules!” yelled my father. At the time I was only in middle school. I was not able to understand the current situation or extend of what was truly happening in my family. My sister had been rebelling against my parents which led to her making bad decisions. Through these decisions she started dating someone who she met in high school. He was large, tall and stomped around making the house shake as though it was like thunder. My parents did not like them together. Bad relationships were one of the reasons why they were in similar situation constantly. I returned to my room aggravated. I prayed that they would stop yelling at each other. I hated the shouts that traveled from downstairs. I began dozed off, slowly falling asleep to the shouting. Waking up to in the silence in the house, I felt relieved. The shouting had finally stopped. I began to walk downstairs

Nickolson 2 when my sisters Emily and Johanna began to whispered to each other. Curiously I asked, “What are you guys talking about?”. They both looked at each other in secrecy. Finally Emily said “I have something to tell you”.

It was the middle of the night when my sister revealed her secret. A secret that has been hidden for 3 months. I was the last to know because I was viewed as childish and too young to understand. I automatically began asking saying “Are you engaged?”. My other sister Johanna began to snarkily said “She skipped a step”. I was completely confused I had no idea what was happening. I patiently sat on the stairs as they stared at me through the kitchen. Emily finally says “I’m pregnant”. Instantly I was so happy and excited for her. I was going to become an aunt! She even said the the baby was due on the day before my birthday. Both of my sisters began to convince me that if she was born on my birthday I would not like it because it would then be all about her. I ignored them because I was so excited of the idea of having a niece or nephew. But as I had processed the news I became confused when she said she was 3 months pregnant. Why did she not tell me before? My sister Johanna found out she was pregnant right when it happened. Even other people outside of our family knew that Emily was pregnant. I was hurt when I discovered I was the last one to know. Why did she keep it a secret? Why did she not want to tell me? Why was I the last to know?

September 04, 2015, I was in my social studies classroom in middle school. It was an early release and I was going to be tracked out for the rest of the month. I was so anxious to get a break and finally rest. I came home excited and relieved to be done. My mom greeted me as I

Nickolson 3 arrived and told me that Emily was in labor. I was so excited “Are we going to go see her?” I anxiously asked. “Yes we are leaving soon” she replied. I jumped up and began to pack as fast as a cheetah. I hopped in the car and off we were to the hospital. There I sat in the car waiting and waiting for what seemed like forever. My mothers phone began to ring in the silent car. Our family anxiously listened to the conversation until my mother put down the phone. She told us that my sister had a great recovery and had a baby girl! We were almost there, so close to getting to meet my new niece that I have been so excited to meet for the past 6 months. We finally pulled into the hospital and began to make our way to the labor and delivery room. In these next few moments I would be walking in to see my niece. Through all the argument and pain, this was for once a happy moment. A brief moment where the world around us paused. She was beautiful, a tiny delicate thing that meant so much after only being in the world for a few moments. She was so delicate I was afraid to hold her in fear of dropping her. It was finally time to to discover her name. My sister announced to the whole family, “We decided to name her Reagan Aubrey”. It was perfect, my little niece Reagan. Everyone got to hold her and it was finally my turn. I was so nervous but extremely excited. My father laid her in my harms as I sat next the the hospital bed. There she was, in my arms and unaware of the world. The moment I have been waiting for, a moment of peace. As I held that beautiful baby I smiled, excited to see how her life would turn out and how our relationship will grow as she grows.

Narrative Essay Rubric (Honors) Score: 43.5/50 W.9-10.3​. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Standard

Exceptional (10-9)

Proficient (8-7)

Emerging (6-1)

Not Evident (0)

Nickolson 4 3.a​. ​Introduction​ Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.

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Establish an insightful, original, or creative point of view

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Introduce a ​complex and/or creative narrator, characters, setting, and main idea

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Utilize ​two or more (teacher discretion) narrative techniques with purpose: dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, multiple plot lines, etc…

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Develop experiences, events, and/or characters and to clearly develop a purposeful theme

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Use ​purposefully narrative techniques such as foreshadowing, dramatic irony, suspense, and/or flashbacks in a ​highly effective manner​ ​to create an original plot structure

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3.c​. ​Organization​ - ​Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. 8.5

3.d.​ ​Language​ - ​Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events,

Effectively sets out a problem, situation, or observation in a compelling and/or creative manner

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3.b. ​Narrative​ - ​Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Effectively hook the reader with a creative, original, and compelling hook

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Create a smooth progression of experiences or events that is logical, ​creative, and sophisticated ​and that uses ​highly engaging devices

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Use precise, detailed and ​sophisticated words, phrases, and sensory language​ to engage the reader ​and convey a​ ​vivid picture

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Hook the reader with a compelling hook

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Effectively sets out a problem, situation, or observation

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Establish an insightful point of view

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Introduce a narrator, characters, setting, and main idea

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Utilize narrative techniques such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines

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Develop experiences, events, and/or characters in attempt to convey theme

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Use appropriately techniques such as foreshadowing, dramatic irony, suspense, and/or flashbacks

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Create a smooth progression of experiences or events that is logical and engaging

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Use precise and detailed words, phrases, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture

Nickolson 5 setting, and/or characters. 10 3.e.​ ​Conclusion​ - ​Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. 8

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Provide a conclusion that reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved

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Provide a conclusion that reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved

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Extends the meaning and purpose to connect to the audience ​and​ ​convey a complex and original theme

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Extends the meaning to convey a theme