Test Review

Unit: 8.2 Memoirs and Transformative Decisions

Test #1: Monday, November 28, 2022

Literary Terms

1. memoir: a narrative, written from the perspective of the author, about an

important part of their life
2. transformative: causing or able to cause an important and lasting change in
someone or something
3. memory: something that you remember from the past
4. autobiography: an account of a person's life written by the person it is about
5. diary: a record of personal experiences, reflections, or ideas kept regularly for
private use
6. narrative writing: writing that has a story, characters, conflict, and other
essential parts of a story
7. nonfiction: writing that is about facts and real events

Transformative experiences are crossroads in our lives where decisions have to be

made, actions are made that cannot be undone, we experience moments of
enlightenment, or we meet an exceptional person.

Characteristics of a memoir

A memoir…

… is written in first person (1st) point of view.

… is based on one real-life, factual experience of the writer’s past (nonfiction).
… reveals the feelings of the author about that particular experience.
… illustrates what the writer has learned from the experience (lesson).
… uses many narrative elements (plot, characters, setting, theme, conflict, etc.).
 Elements of a Story

Story Element
Plot: the sequence of events in a story that create action and build
drama
Character: a person, animal, or thing that is part of the action in a story

Setting: the time and place where the plot happens

Conflict: the main problem faced by a character in a story

Topic: what or who is being discussed in a piece of writing (example:
courage)
Theme: the underlying message or main idea in a piece of writing; it
expresses a broader meaning than the topic (example: the courage to
tell the truth)
 PLOT the sequence of events in a story
that together create action and build drama

Climax
the most exciting
moment of a story,
where both people
Rising and events change
Action
a series of
crises that lead
to the climax Falling
Action
the events that
follow the climax

FREYTAG'S
PYRAMID

Exposition Resolution
The author sets the the conclusion, in which
scene and explains all the tensions of the
what’s going on. plot are resolved

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