Content Outline: Creative Nonfiction

Goals and Objectives

Competency Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal
experiences.
Objective 1.01 Narrate personal experiences that offer an audience:
 scenes and incidents located effectively in time and place.
 vivid impressions of being in a setting and a sense of engagement in the events occurring.
 appreciation for the significance of the account.
 a sense of the narrator's personal voice.
Objective 1.02 Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs,
vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
 an understanding of the student's personal reaction to the text.
 an awareness of how personal and cultural influences affect the response.
Objective 1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and
non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
 identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements,
organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
 providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
 demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
 summarizing key events and/or points from text.
 identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
 making connections between works, self and related topics.
 analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
 analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts,
characters and/or experiences.
 identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose,
audience, and context.
Competency Goal 4: The learner will create and use standards to critique communication.
Objective 4.01 Evaluate the effectiveness of communication by:
 examining the use of strategies in a presentation/product.
 applying a set of predetermined standards.
 creating an additional set of standards and applying them to the presentation/product.
 comparing effective strategies used in different presentations/products.
Objective 4.02 Read and critique various genres by:
 using preparation, engagement, and reflection strategies appropriate for the text.
 identifying and using standards to evaluate aspects of the work or the work as a whole.
 judging the impact of different stylistic and literary devices on the work.
Objective 4.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and
non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
 identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements,
organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
 demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
 summarizing key events and/or points from text.
 identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
 making connections between works, self and related topics.
 analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
  analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts,
characters and/or experiences.
 identifying and analyzing elements of critical environment found in text in light of purpose, audience,
and context.
Competency Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements,
and terms.
Objective 5.01 Read and analyze various literary works by:
 using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection.
 recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends,
short stories, novels), nonfiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents),
poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
 interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony,
dialogue, diction, and imagery.
 understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style.
 explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
 explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts.
 determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or
her.
 explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
 making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues.
 understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
 producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate
literary devices for that genre.
Competency Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
Objective 6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression that:
 uses varying sentence types (e.g., simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) purposefully,
correctly, and for specific effect.
 selects verb tense to show an appropriate sense of time.
 applies parts of speech to clarify and edit language.
 addresses clarity and style through such strategies as parallelism; appropriate coordination and
subordination; variety and details; appropriate and exact words; and conciseness.
 analyzes the place and role of dialects and standard/nonstandard English.
 uses vocabulary strategies such as roots and affixes, word maps, and context clues to discern the
meanings of words.
Objective 6.02 Discern and correct errors in spoken and written English by:
 avoiding fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.
 selecting correct subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and appropriate verbs.
 using and placing modifiers correctly.
 editing for spelling and mechanics (punctuation and capitalization).

Unit Essential Question:

*How do you write an effective personal narrative?
*How do you structure and operate a writer's workshop?

I. Structure of Writing
A. Sentence: a grammatical unit that is syntactically independent and has a subject that is expressed or,
as in imperative sentences, understood and a predicate that contains at least one finite verb (subject—verb—
object)
1. Parts of speech:
1. a. nouns: people, places, things, ideas (phone, river, Mr. T). Singular or plural, possessives, concrete noun:
names an object that occupies space or that can be recognized by any of the senses. Abstract: names an idea,
a quality, or a characteristic (motion, humor, quantity, tact, rudeness). Proper vs. common nouns. Collective
noun names a group: family, the public, team, audience, ect.
b. verb: word that expresses action or a state of being and is necessary to make a statement. The primary
characteristic of a verb is its ability to express time—present, past, and future. Verbs express time by means of
tense forms. Present tense example: They walk home together. Past: They walked home together. Future: They
will walk home together. Action verb tells what someone or something does, physical or mental action
(physical: Talk, mental: Understand). Transitive verb: an action verb that is followed by a word or words that
answer the question what? Or whom? Cats see their prey in the dark. Intransitive verb: action verb that is no
followed by a word that answers the question what? Or whom? Cats see well in the dark. Linking Verb: links,
or joins, the subject of a sentence (often a noun or pronoun) with a word or expression that identifies or
describes the subject. Be in all its forms (am, is, are, was, were) is the most common linking verb. Other linking
verbs: look, stay, taste, remain, grow, smell, seem, appear, feel, become, sound. Verb phrases: consists of a
main verb and all its auxiliary, or helping, verbs. Auxiliary Verbs: am, is, are, was, were, being, been (be) has,
have, had (have), can, could, may, might, must, does, do, did, shall, should, will, would.
c. articles: are the adjectives a, an, and the. A and an are called indefinite articles. They can refer to any one of a
kind of person, place, or thing. A is used before a consonant sounds and an is used before vowel sounds. The is
called a definite article. It refers to a specific person, place, or thing.
d. pronouns: a word that takes the place of a noun, a group of words acting as a noun, or another pronoun. The
word or group of words to which a pronoun refers is called its antecedent. A pronoun must agree in number and
gender with its antecedent. Personal and possessive pronouns: personal: refers to a specific person or thing by
indicating the person speaking (first person), the person being addressed (second person), or any other person or
thing being discussed (third person). FP(Sing.) I, me FP (Plur): we, us SP (S&P) you, TP(Sing.) he, him, she,
her, it TP (Plur.) they, them. Possessive pronoun: takes the place of the possessive form of a noun: FPS: my,
mine, FPP, our, ours. SPS&P: your, yours, TPS: his, her, hers, its TPP: their, theirs. Reflexive and Intensive
pronouns: FPS: myself, FPP: ourselves, SPS: yourself, SPP: yourselves, TPS: himself, herself, itself TPP:
themselves. Reflexive: refers, or reflects back, to a noun or pronoun earlier in the sentence. Intensive Pronoun:
adds emphasis to another noun or pronoun in the same sentence. Demonstrative pronoun: points out specific
persons, places, things, or ideas. Singular: this, that Plural: These, those. Indefinite pronoun: refers to personas,
places, or things in a more general way than a noun, nobody, everyone, everything, few, either, all, each,
another, any, someone, other, one, nothing, neither, most, much, none, several, some, plenty, ect (p. 451)
e. adverbs: a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb by making its meaning more specific.
She ALWAYS waited PATIENTLY. Adverbs modify by answering the questions when? Where? How? And to
what degree? Modifying verb: The storm is FINALLY ending. Adjective: The now was QUITE heavy. Adverb:
It ALMOST never snows this heavily.
f. adjectives: a word that modified a noun or pronoun by limiting its meaning. An adjective tells what kind,
which one, how many, or how much.
g. preposition: a word that shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to some other word in a sentence.
Prepositions begin phrases that end with a noun or pronoun that is called the object of the preposition. Common
prepositions (p. 473) about, above, across, after, against, along, amid, among, around, as, at, before, behind,
below, beneath, beside, between, but (meaning except), by, concerning, despite, down, during, in, inside, into,
like, near, of, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, pending, since, through, to, toward, under, until, up, upon,
with, within, without. A compound preposition is made up of more than one word: according to, ahead of, along
with, because of, in front of, instead of, next to, out of, ect.
h. interjection: part of speech usually expressing an emotion that is capable of standing alone ( Cripes! Oh!
Wow!). Word or phrase that expresses emotion or exclamation. An interjection has no grammatical connection
to other words. Ouch! That hurts!
i. Conjunction: word that joins single words or groups of words together. Coordinating conjunction: joins words
or groups of words that have equal grammatical weight in a sentence. FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
Subordinating conjunction: joins two clauses, or ideas, in such a way as to make one grammatically dependent
upon the other. (after, although, as, as if, as soon as, as though, because, before, if, since, so that, than, though,
unless, until, when, where, while). Conjunctive adverb: used to clarify the relationship between two clauses of
equal weight in a sentence (however, but, also, furthermore, still, though, thus, equally, ect).
1. 2. Grammar and mechanics
1. Sentence: group of words expressing a complete thought
a. Subject: is the part of the sentence about which something is being said
b. Predicate: part of the sentence which says something about the subject
c. Simple subject: is the key noun or pronoun (or word or group of words acting as a noun) that tells what the
sentence is about.
d. Simple predicate: is the verb or verb phrase that expressed the essential thought about the subject of the
sentence
e. Complete subject: consists of the simple subject and all the words that modify it
f. Complete predicate: consists of the simple predicate, or verb,and all the words that modify it or complete its
meaning.
g. Compound subject: is made up of two or more simple subjects that are joined by a conjunction and have the
same verb. Tomatoes and carrots are colorful vegetables.
h. Compound predicate (or compound verb): is made up of two or more verbs or verb phrases that are joined by
a conjunction and have the same subject. Horses gallop and charge.
i. In most sentences the subject comes before the predicate, However, there are exceptions such as commands
({You}Give it to me). Questions: Have you read David Sedaris' essays?
j. Complements: word or group of words that completes the meaning of a verb. Direct object: answers the
question what? Or whom? After an action verb. Maria admires him deeply (him is direct object). Indirect
object: answers the question to whom? For whom? To what? Or for what? After an action verb. Greta saved
him a seat (him is indirect object). Object complement: answers the question what? After a direct object, that is,
it completes the meaning of the direct object by identifying or describing it. Object complements occur only in
sentences with direct objects and only in those sentences with action verbs that have the general meaning of
make or consider, such as: appoint, elect, render, consider, name, declare, make, call, find, think. Object
complement usually follows a direct object. It may be an adjective, a noun, or a pronoun. Residents find the part
peaceful. Katie appoint me treasurer and cook. My grandmother considers the property hers.
k. Clause: a group of words that has a subject and a predicate and is used as a part of a sentence. A main, or
independent clause has a subject and predicate and can stand alone as a sentence. Subordinate clause: or
dependent clause, has a subject and predicate but cannot stand alone as a sentence.
l. Simple sentence: has only one main clause and no subordinate clauses.
m. Compound sentence: has two or more main clauses and no subordinate clauses.
n. Complex sentence: has one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses.
o. Compound-complex sentence: has more than one main clause and at least one subordinate clause.
p. Adjective clause: subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun. The hikers who reached the peak were
overjoyed.
q. Adverb clause: subordinate clause that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb. It tells when, where, how,
why, to what extent, or under what conditions. Whenever it rains, the river rises. You are paddling harder than I
am paddling.
r. Noun clause: a subordinate clause used as a noun.
s. Declarative sentence: makes a statement
t. imperative sentence: gives a command or makes a request
u. interrogative sentence: asks a question
v. Exclamatory sentence: expresses strong emotion.
1. 2. Commas
1. a. joins two clauses that are closely related when neither could stand alone
1. 1. Comma Splice: the use of a comma to join two independent clauses, instead of a conjunction, semi-colon,
or period
b. separates multiple adjectives that describe the same thing: her
long, flowing, brown hair
 c. separates lists of three or more things
d. set off subordinate clauses that qualify the main clauses
e. set off nonessential clauses in the middles of sentences, always
used in pairs: Roy Fleming, my grandfather, was a cook in WWII.
1. Use comma sets in the middle of sentences in situations like
Names. "It's your fault, Xena, that I'm all wet."
Non-essential comments or qualifiers such as "however,"
"nevertheless," "so to speak," etc.
Commas come after "he said," "she said," and other speaking
verbs when they are in the middle of the spoken quotation
f. come after exclamations or other one-word interjections
g. A comma is also used to prevent confusion when there is more than
one possible interpretation of a sentence.
My sister Sarah has a cat.
My sister, Sarah, has a cat.

The first sentence implies that I have more than one sister. The
name Sarah indicates which sister I am speaking of at the moment.
The second sentence implies that I have only one sister. The
commas setting off her name indicate that the name is a
nonessential qualifier. (Remember, try removing everything
between the commas.)
Sarah, my sister, has a cat.
Sarah, my sister has a cat.

The first sentence is, again, an example of nonessential qualifier. I

could say "Sarah has a cat" and presumably you know that Sarah
is my sister. The second sentence is addressed to Sarah. I am
telling Sarah that my sister, whose name is not specified, has a cat.
1. Colon: ← Appears at the end of a clause to introduce a list, a restatement of the previous clause, or an
elaboration of the previous clause
2. Semi-colon; ← separates items in a list when items themselves have internal punctuation: Gabrielle likes
oranges; cherries; and red, yellow, and green apples.
Semi-Colon separates two closely related clauses
3. Apostrophe: indicates possession or stands in for a removed letter an' (and) fixin' (fixing) –way of
writing nonstandard English

2. 5. Agreement: subjects and verbs should agree in number (they were, not they was) verbs should also
agree in tense (we ran and jumped, not we run and jumped)
6. inappropriate (accidental) sentence fragments
7. Period: A period is a mark used only to end a sentence. (Period!)
8. ! adds emphasis or denotes a manner in which something was said (or should be said)
9. ? ends a sentence when the sentence is a question
10. Who/whom: Who is used as the subject of the clause it introduces.
Whom is used as the object of a preposition, as a direct object, or as an
indirect object.
 A key to remembering which word to use is simply to substitute who or
whom with a pronoun. If you can substitute he, she, we, or they in the
clause, and it still sounds okay, then you know that who is the correct
word to use. If, however, him, her, us, or them sounds more appropriate,
then whom is the correct choice for the sentence.
1. Run-on sentence: sentence that joins two independent clauses without punctuation or appropriate
conjunction
1. a. To repair a run: Separate the clauses into two sentences.
 Replace the comma with a semi-colon.
 Replace the comma with a coordinating conjunction--and, but, for, yet,
nor, so.
 Replace the comma with a subordinating conjunction--after, although,
before, unless, as, because, even though, if, since, until, when, while.
 Replace the comma with a semi-colon and transitional word--however,
moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, instead, also, therefore,
consequently, otherwise, as a result.
 12. Fragment: Incomplete sentence, sometimes used for effect
13. Misplaced modifiers:
1. To communicate your ideas clearly, you must place a modifier directly next to the word it is supposed to
modify. The modifier should clearly refer to a specific word in the sentence. For example:
 Incorrect: At eight years old, my father gave me a pony for Christmas.
 Correct: When I was eight years old, my father gave me a pony for
Christmas.
2. 3. Topic sentence: expresses the main idea of the paragraph
4. Supporting Sentences: sentences that reinforce the main idea of a paragraph
5. Syntax: grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence
B. Paragraph: made up of sentences grouped together for a reason, usually to present
and support a single idea.
1. Beginning: topic sentence or thesis statement (what the work is about or will prove)
2. Middle: supporting sentences
3. End: conclusion that ties the paragraph together
4. Order: “A well- organized paragraph has its various ideas introduced in an orderly sequence. This sequence
may be place order, chronological order, logical order, or order for emphasis. All four have the same
purpose—to lead the reader along the desired path with a minimum of backtracking or skipping about, and
thereby leave the reader with a clear, strong impression of what the writer is trying to convey.”
http://www.tpub.com/content/religion/14227/css/14227_46.htm
1. a. Chronological order: In this pattern, the details are presented in the order in which they happened. This pattern
may also be called time order or sequence of events.
b. Statement support: In this form the main idea is stated and the rest of the paragraph explains or proves it.
c. Compare-contrast: The comparison-contrast pattern is used when the similarities or differences of two or more actions,
ideas, or events are being discussed. A paragraph may discuss only similarities or only differences.
d. Classification: The classification pattern organizes information about a topic by dividing it into parts. These parts are
selected on the basis of things they have in common.
e. Cause and effect: When an event or action is caused by another event or action, the cause-effect pattern is used. The
primary characteristic of cause-effect paragraphs is explanation by telling why or how something happened. The cause-
effect pattern describes how two or more events are related or connected. A tornado for example may have multiple
effects Cars turned over, homes destroyed, flooding. Or a paragraph can present several events together that result in a
single effect.
f. Definition: A writer who introduces or used a term that he or she feels the reader won't understand often includes a
definition and explanation of the term.
g. Description: A writer who wants to create a word picture of an event, person, object, idea, or theory, often uses the
descriptive pattern. This type of paragraph often consists of a list of descriptive facts or characteristics. These particular
pieces of the description may not seem to have an easily identifiable order, but writers do not arrange their descriptive
details randomly. They usually arrange them in some order.
http://mossenglish.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/paragraphorganization.pdf

2. II. Creative Nonfiction Toolbox

A. Genre: category that a work of literature is classified under
1. nonfiction: prose writing that deals with real people, things, events, and places such as biographies,
autobiographies, essays, newspaper and magazine articles, and historical works
1. a. Creative nonfiction: work of nonfiction that utilizes the conventions of fiction such as vivid scenes,
characterization, dialogue, and manipulation of time
b. Essay: short piece of nonfiction that examines a single subject from a
historical perspective
c. Biography: an account of a person's life, written or told by another
person d. Autobiography: an account of the writer's own life
2. e. Narration: type of writing or speaking that tells about a series of related events
3. fiction: prose that is invented rather than based on truth or actual events
4. poetry: a method of expression often written in meter or rhyme, but not necessarily so. Its subject matter
can be fictitious, real, or a blend of both
5. drama: a prose or verse composition that is intended for representation by actors impersonating the
characters and performing the dialogue and action
6. myth: traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that
serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or
delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society
1. B. Style: Particular way in which a writer uses language
1. Voice: writer's or speaker's distinctive use of language in text, gives insight into the author's or narrator's
personality through word choices
2. Tone: attitude a writer takes toward a subject, character, or the audience
1. a. audience: the group to whom a piece of literature is directed
3. Persona: mask or voice assumed by the author
4. Diction: A writer or speaker's choice of words
5. literary device: identifiable rule or thumb, convention, or structure that is employed in literature
C. Literary Device: an identifiable rule of thumb, convention or structure that is employed in literature, some of
which may be used in creative nonfiction
1. Allegory: symbolic representation (scales for justice)
2. Alliteration: the repetition of the initial consonant. There should be at least two repetitions in a row (Peter
Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers)
3. Allusion: A reference to a famous person or event in life or literature (pretty as the Mona Lisa)
4. Analogy: the comparison of two pair which have the same relationship
5. Assonance: the repetition of similar vowel sounds in a sentence
6. Dramatic Irony: Dramatic irony is when the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have
a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters. This is the result of the reader having a
greater knowledge than the characters themselves
7. Hyperbole: a figure of speech involving exaggeration
8. Metaphor: a comparison in which one thing is said to be another
9. Onomatopoeia: the use of words to imitate the sounds they describe (crackle, hiss)
10. Oxymoron: putting two contradictory words together (jumbo shrimp)
11. Personification: giving human qualities to animals or objects
12. Pun: A word is used which has two meanings at the same time, resulting in humor
13. Simile: figure of speech involving a comparison between two unlike things using like or as
14. Frozen moment: slowing down the pace of a narrative for effect
15. Window: method of briefly looking outside a scene, by either thought or a literal shift of attention
 16. Epiphany: moment of realization often occurring at the climax of a piece of literature
17. Internal monologue: dialogue occurring internally offering a view of a character's thoughts and feelings (a
character's commentary to him or herself)
18. Denouement: The final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot
19. repetition: use of a word or phrase several times for emphasis
parallelism: repetition of words, phrases, or sentences that have the same grammatical structure or that state a
similar idea
20. Foreshadowing: use of clues to hint at events that will occur later in the plot
21. Flashback: scene in a movie, play, short story, novel, or narrative that interrupts the present action of
the plot to tell what happened at an earlier time
22. Flash-forward: scene which interrupts the present action of the plot to shift into the future
III. Elements of Literature
2. A. Character: a person in a story, poem, or play
1. Characterization: process of revealing the personality of a character
2. 2. Point-of-View: vantage point from which a writer tells a story
3. First Person: seeing the story from one character's perspective using “I” as the
pronoun
1. 4. Dialogue: conversation between characters
1. a. Standard English: academically correct English
b. Non-standard English: the way people speak in conversation, appropriate (in this unit) only when writing
dialogue to portray how people actually talk
B. Setting: time and place of a piece of literature
1. Scene: the place in which a particular portion of the story occurs and the action taking place in that place
during which the author portrays both setting, and the movement of time. The element that separates
creative nonfiction from typical nonfiction
I. 2. Description: type of writing that creates a mood or emotion, or recreates a person,
place, thing, event, or experience, key to CNF
a. Mood: story's atmosphere or feeling it evokes
1. b. Imagery: language that appeals to the senses
2. C. Plot: a series of related events
I.1. Theme: central idea of a work of literature
2. D. Conflict: a character's struggle
1. External Conflict: struggle between a character and an outside element, for example, another character, a
group, or a thing (like a broken toaster)
2. Internal conflict: a struggle that takes place within a single character, for example, a moral dilemma
III. The Process of Writing
A. Prewriting: Identifying your purpose and audience, generating ideas, and gathering
information about the topic.
1. Brainstorming/freewriting: method an author uses to generate ideas and determine a
topic
B. Drafting: writing the first version of a piece of literature.
1. Grabbing the reader's attention, providing background information, stating and supporting your main points,
and elaborating on them, following a plan of organization, wrapping up with a
conclusion
2. C. Conferencing: getting feedback from peers, instructors, or other readers
1. D. Revising: evaluating your draft for content, organization, and style
E. Editing: checking for flow, proper grammar usage, spelling and agreement errors, and reflecting on
the writing process
F. Audience: the group that a piece of targeted to
II.

I.IV. Establishing a Writer's Workshop

A. Criteria and Standards
1. Standards: Proper usage of standard English, presence of at least one scene, proper usage of dialogue (the
only place where non-standard English may be used justifiably in graded writing)
2. Criteria: additional components we will look for in student work to be established by the class
B. Constructive Criticism: Suggestions given (kindly) to help a writer improve his or her
work
1. Proofreading marks: marks made on a written work to show how a mistake should be corrected

V. Examples of Creative Nonfiction

A. James Baldwin 1924-1987 “Notes of a Native Son”
1. Novelist, writer, playwright, poet, civil rights activist
1. a. African-American, homosexual author from Harlem
b. Deals primarily with racial and sexual issues, noted for his exploration of identity
c. “Notes of a Native Son” portrays Baldwin's experience with the death of his father during the Harlem race
riots as well as dealing with his own anger and resentment over the blatant racism of his time
d. Moved from US to Paris to free himself from prejudice against both African Americans and homosexuals
e. illustrates how creative nonfiction can be used as a method of coping with emotional issues
f. Notes from a Native Son was his first collection of essays
2. B. Hunter S. Thompson 1937-2005
1. Gonzo Journalism: is a style of journalism which is written subjectively, often including the reporter as part
of the story via a first person narrative. Gonzo journalism tends to favor style over accuracy and often uses
personal experiences and emotions to provide context for the topic or event being covered. It disregards the
'polished' edited product favored by newspaper media and strives for the gritty factor.
2. Stream-of-consciousness writing style: creates the impression that the reader is eavesdropping on the flow
of conscious experience in the character’s mind, gaining intimate access to their private “thoughts”. It
involves presenting in the form of written text something that is neither entirely verbal nor textual.
C. David Sedaris 1957-present “Us and Them” from Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
3. “Us and Them” examines a family that “does not believe in television” as well as Halloween antics.
4. New York Times best-selling author of humorous essay collections, autobiographical and often self-
deprecating
1. a. Self-deprecating: awareness of one's own shortcomings
D. Isaac Bashevis Singer 1902-1991 “The Washerwoman”
5. Polish born, Nobel Prize winning Jewish-American author
6. His family split up during WWI
7. Emigrated four years before the German invasion of Poland (missing the Holocaust)
8. Known for his short stories
9. Often wrote and published in Yiddish: a dialect of High German including Hebrew words
10. “The Washerwoman” is about a laundry woman so dedicated to returning his family's clothes that she
put off death until she'd delivered the last load of wash
E. Other notable authors of creative nonfiction:
11. Ann Frank “Diary of Ann Frank”
12. Virginia Woolf “The Death of a Moth”
13. George Orwell “Shooting an Elephant”
14. E.B. White “Afternoon of an American Boy”
15. Wendell Berry “An Entrance to the Woods”
16. Bernard Cooper “The Fine Art of Sighing”
17. Joan Didion “Goodbye to All of That”
 I.

III.
2.

1.

i.