ENGL 208 Assignment 1: Imitative List Essay
- 1. ENGL 208 Personal & Exploratory Writing 1 Assignment 1: Imitative “List” Essay Description of Assignment. For this assignment, you are to imitate the style of Jody Mace’s “The Insomniac’s To Do List” (posted on BbLearn) and write a list essay of your own. The essay should be in the form of a list, and no longer than 750 words. Tips for Writing the Essay You were asked to read The Insomniac’s To Do List and pay attention to the situation and the story of the list – in other words, both the things included in the list, as well as the deeper meaning or significance of the essay. You might also think about the effect of the unusual format, the strong voice, and the different length of sentences. To me, this essay seems like a funny lens through which the author exposes some serious fears about death and ageing, the health of her parents, anxieties about her children, past regrets, and future concerns. The topic for your list essay can be anything you choose. Here are some ideas based on stories I have heard from former students: A List of Regrettable Meal Choices When Living on Your Own (about the writer’s fears of becoming an adult); An Insider’s Guide to Surviving the Dorms (about navigating social life at college); How to be a Good “Greek”(about maintaining a sense of self in a community). Remember, these are merely suggestions. You can write your essay on any topic, as long as it’s formatted like a list. An excellent list essay will do the following: 1. Tell a true story about you. 2. Be no longer than 750 words. 3. Have any number of points (as long as the entire essay does not exceed 750 words). 4. Have a deeper meaning or significance that may not be obvious upon the first read – in other words, your essay should have a point. 5. Have an engaging title. 6. Be free of grammatical, punctuation or spelling errors.
- 2. ENGL 208 Personal & Exploratory Writing 2 Learning Objectives. After completing this assignment, you should be able to: • Tell a story about yourself that reveals a truth or insight that would be interesting or relatable to others. • Imitate the style of a personal essay, especially the syntax and complex sentences.