this is a 9th grade honors english assignment.
Directions: Set a tone. Compose a 400-550-word narrative essay that conveys a specific feeling inspired by the artwork (THE PAINTING IS THE BOATING PARTY by Mary Cassatt, 1893-94). This is a realistic fiction piece, so be creative but keep your story plausible. Your narrative should focus on the moment depicted in the image, but you may include relevant background context leading into this moment. This is NOT a description of the art piece or an analysis of the art piece.
Point of view: first person
Procedure: You will write this essay in class during a class period. You will be given one image of artwork and some context.
Purpose: To set a mood. To immerse readers in the moment of the image and stimulate them to feel (intrigue, calm, anxiety, fear, contentment, elation, reflective, etc.) whatever you think the image conveys. To place readers in a moment or place.
Elements to Consider:
Diction: In short bursts of description, the value of word choice is magnified. Pay special attention to using precise, active verbs that carry apt connotations. Use specific nouns instead of vague ones. Minimize adjectives and especially adverbs.
Description: More show (concrete details) than tell (abstraction). Instead of telling feelings, evoke them by showing actions with your verbs. Use of the five senses of key details matter considerably. Include relevant details in a purposeful way; do not include distracting or unnecessary ones. Convey a unified and powerful feeling/mood/tone through purposeful diction and syntax that enhances the mood you desire to capture.
Narrative Distance: Demonstrate and execute a clear plan for zooming the camera in and/or out in appropriate moments.
Narrative Pacing: Pace the action of the narrative in a way that correlates with the action of the image and mood you are attempting to convey. Craft purposeful sentence lengths and types to speed the pacing as moments of climax build. Include an appropriate mix of fast and slow pacing.
Opener: Engage readers.
Audience: Your teacher and students in this class (mature academic readers).
Organization: You choose how to organize your narrative in a purposeful way so that a clear progression in your paragraphs is evident. Think about your narrative distance and pacing in your organization. You decide what works best for your material. You do not need to reference every detail in the artwork, but should choose aspects to highlight that best advance your mood.
Context: Prior to the content of your 400-550-word essay, you will provide context for readers. This is a 3-5 sentence blurb that covers the following information:
Which character are you?
What mood are you trying to capture and convey?
Imagine this essay is really an excerpt from a longer narrative; what would readers already know or understand before they arrive at this point where your story begins? Include those details here.
What is your reasoning behind these choices?
this is my narrative:
Context: this story is written in the perspective of the man on the boat. The mood conveyed is that the family is scared and concerned but in the end they are relieved and thankful
Narrative:
Sparking blue water enclosed my small canoe while I struggled to pull with both arms at once. I thought to row across the Seine to celebrate my wife's thirtieth birthday with a new experience. However, my family was on this boat with me for about two hours already, and they started to lose interest in the scenery around the bay. The prismarine waters sloshed back and forth against the hull, sending droplets into the air. Across me sat my wife, dressed in a light blue dress with cross patterns and clutching our baby. The baby was named Laura, and she was about two years old. She stared intently at me, as if begging me to go back home. The wind rushed upon our sail, sending a chill down my spine.
This birthday celebration took me months of planning - I had to save up money rent a boat, take lessons to learn to steer it, and find a place that had the most charming views for rowing. Right now, as my sweaty hands grappled with the oars, I regretted this bold decision. It was my first time sailing in a river this wide, and even worse, the wind wasn't in my favor, sweeping me around in circles. My wife told me she was enjoying it, but her body started to shiver from the gusts as the sun was creeping behind the clouds. We were going at almost no speed, and had to get back in an hour.
I slowly shifted my weight to pull in the sail, but my fingers throbbed with pain every time they grazed the ropes. The wind was getting stronger now, and the boat was wobbling violently. I had never been in a situation this perilous, and I didn't want to let my family down. Resisting the excruciating pain, I snatched the rope with both hands and yanked furiously. The sail finally gave in, but I didn't have the strength to paddle anymore with these blood red hands. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I couldn't find anyone near.
Across the horizon, my eyes drifted towards a middle-sized rowboat, where a strong man with brown overalls was paddling. I immediately waved my hand high above the canoe, yelling with all I had left in me. Slowly, he veered his boat towards us and tied our boats together. He then managed to row us back to shore. Pink and magenta clouds filled the sky, and for a while, I forgot about the stormy winds and dangerous seawater. As golden rays showered our surroundings, I couldn't help but look at the orange glow across the vast ocean with my wife and my daughter, something I would never forget.
also here is the rubric
1,000