Identifying characteristics of a Personal Reflective Narrative

_____________________ Pd. ___

Name:

DIRECTIONS: Read the personal essay below. Then COMPLETE THIS CHECKLIST
to determine whether it includes the basic characteristics to define it as a
reflective narrative.
CHECKLIST:
1) Does the essay story appropriately match the required topic/prompt (see below), and does it
answer ALL
parts of the writing prompt?
____ Yes
____ No
If no, explain why not:
2) Does the essay focus on ONE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE of the writer? ___ Yes; ___No
If YES, what type of experience? ______________________________________________________________
If NO, explain: ____________________________________________________________________________
3) Did the writer reflect about the experience AND/OR explain how the experience affected
him/her? ___ Yes __No
If YES, WHEN does the writer reflect? ___ at beginning of essay;
___ at the end; ___ both
places or throughout
Briefly SUMMARIZE how the writer was changed/affected by the experience:
4) Underline any DIALOGUE that is used.
5) Circle any DESCRIPTIVE WORDS and/or DESCRIPTIVE DETAILS.
6) Draw a box around any obvious examples of CASUAL LANGUAGE or CASUAL STYLE of writing.
(For example, an occasional sentence that begins And or But -- or a sentence fragment used on
purpose for special effect?)

7) Underline and draw an arrow out to the margin to LABEL / NAME any specific type of FIGURE OF
SPEECH and/or
PERSUASIVE DEVICE used for special effect, etc.

Personal Reflective Essay, required on Ky. Common App to apply at multiple universities with one application
WRITING TASK / PROMPT: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or
experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
My Empty Sanctuary
By Rachel Cavanah
I am happiest in an empty room. The walls are blank, and the ceiling is high with lights illuminating every inch of
this welcoming space. The 50-foot-wide haven is as open as the separate world I create it to be. Bolted to the wall is a long
barre, luxuriously smooth to the touch. The raised, wooden floor is scuffed and worn from callused feet that drive contorted
bodies, transposing words into an art of movement time after time. A giant, lengthy mirror reflects the image of one who
entered the room different than who will leave me. I am surrounded by tranquility. Standing here, alone, I cannot tell where
earth ends and heaven begins. This is my utopia.
Many dancers are most satisfied when performing on stage; however, my best moments are in isolation from the
world in the practice room of a dance studio. I enjoy performing and entertaining with my talents, but being able to dance
without the worry of making a mistake or eyes focused on me is a feeling of complete contentment. My mind is only on the
movements I create, and the only other person I share thoughts with is the one mimicking me in the mirror. Music breaks the
silence without interrupting the peace. When it plays, my inner being becomes in sync with the rhythm and gives visible
voice to thoughts and feelings I cannot express with justice otherwise.
My journey to finding this happy place began when I was three years old and my mother signed me up for a
toddler ballet class. I did what was usual for me to do in new, uncomfortable situations. I cried. For the first few weeks, I
pleaded for her not to make me go. Then, as I became more familiar with my fellow dancers and teachers, I found myself
dreaming up routines and movements outside of the studio, eager to show them off in the upcoming lesson. Years of blisters
and aching muscles passed, and my love for the art only flourished.
The beauty of dancing goes beyond what the human eye can see. For me, it is the deep meaning that my motions
and emotions convey. Dancer and choreographer Martha Graham once said, The body says what words cannot. Alone on
the dance floor, these words play in my head like a melody. I look at this confined room as my refuge, my escape. It is where
I unleash worries, turning them into a beautiful image. Fiery anger is transformed into a breathtaking combination of jazzy
box steps, demanding chasses, and quick, heightened leaps. Feelings of sadness are released through slow movements of
deep plis, delicate fondues, and elongated grand jets. The calmness and serenity I experience in this private heaven is one I
cannot achieve in real life. I enter the room as just another person of society, facing everyday struggles. When I begin to
dance, it is as if someone special enters my body and takes over. All insecurities, questions, uneasiness, and stresses of the
outside world melt away as I allow my body to lose control to my passion of dance.
Dancing is a part of me, a part of my identity. Thoughts of a future as a nurse, wife, and mother have been constant,
but I have always been certain of one thing: my heart and soul will forever be anchored in the simplicity of an open and

empty practice room. Whether it is as owner of my own studio, or simply for the personal joy of it, I will always dance. And
it is here, in my empty sanctuary, that I find myself realizing what true contentment is ... as I stare into my reflection in the
giant, lengthy mirror.
(628 words)