Search online for a personal essays to read. Some of my favorites (and students’ favorites) are below, but you don’t have to choose one of these:
“The Year I Grew Wildly While Men Looked On,” by Ashley Ford
“Seventeen,” by Steve Edwards
“No Labels, No Drama, Right?” by Jordana Narin
“Under the Influence” by Scott Russell Sanders
“Adventures in Depression,” a story with comics, by Allie
Anything by Amy Tan
Anything by Annie Dillard
Anything by David Sedaris (such as, “Me Talk Pretty One Day”)
“Salvation” by Langston Hughes
“Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs
“Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” by Frederick Douglass
Then, answer the following questions:
What descriptions or details from the story impact you? How/why?
Recall an experience you or someone you know has had similar to the author. How were your/their emotions during that experience similar and/or different from the author’s?
