Mini-Memoirs
1. Mini-Memoir 1: He/She Remembers
He/She Remembers - Collaborative Link Next, take one of your sentences and turn it into a story. Move it to first person (I) and jump into the moment. |
2. Mini-Memoir #2: My Name.
Read "My Name," an excerpt from Sandra Cisneros's A House on Mango Street. Link for text. Reflect on your name. Who are you? What do you stand for? Do you have nicknames? Do you use your full name? Are you named after someone? What does your name mean? What does it sound like? Taste like? Look like? Write a one-pager reflecting on the topic above. |
3. Mini-Memoir #3: Expanding on a Scene.
Read Annie Dillard's "The Chase" from An American Childhood. Pay close attention to how she focuses on one moment and slows down time. This moment occurred during childhood, but it is being retold through an adult's perspective. Consider what her purpose is for retelling this moment. Return to Mini-Memoir #1. What moment would you want to capture? Why would you want to retell it? Is their some larger truth or observation? Serious or silly? Write a one-pager that captures that moment with specific details. |
5. Mini-Memoir #5: This I Believe
Read the following examples of This I Believe essays. What do you believe in? What defines who you are? What do you stand for? Write a one-pager that wrestles with what you believe in. |