Memoir Basics 2: Using memory to tell a story

About Standards
Introduction
Story - Narrative
Middle years and up
memoir
describing memories
memory as a narrative device
narrative focus
story themes
plot devices
personal narrative
reflective writing
evoking emotion
reversal of expectations
framing devices
showing significance
word choice
unreliable memory
exaggeration
first person reflection
first person point of view
first person pov
Purpose
To introduce the concept of using memory as a narrative device in memoirs.
Description
In this lesson we rewrite simple snippets from a range of memoirs specifically focusing on memories. We examine how they can be used as a way to focus the narrative, to highlight story themes, and as a plot device. Students produce eight assisted rewrites and one checkpoint piece.
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