Name__________________________________

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Suspenseful Narrative Manual

Hmong American Peace Academy
2014-2015

Topic Options
Prompt 1: Write about a moment when you were truly terrified, a moment which still makes
you feel echoes of terror when you think back to that time.
Prompt 2: Write about the most epic moment in your life, a moment which you enjoy
reminiscing about and thinking back to every once in a while.

Assignment:
Write a personal narrative in which you become an expert storyteller, provoking fear or a feeling of suspense
in your audience while you detail the most terrifying moment or the most epic moment of your life. Appeal to
your audience and create suspense by depicting an atmosphere of uncertainty, focusing on unsettling
elements of the setting, and foreshadowing significant events to come.
Narrative writing in non-fiction tells others the stories of our personal experiences and allows us to make
meaning of the world around us.

Length & Format:

2-4 full pages

MLA formatting (Times New Roman, 1-in margins, 12 pt. font, double spaced, indented paragraphs)

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Requirements:
Cannon 1 of Rhetoric: Invention
1. List of 4-5 short moments (5-10 minutes each) which would fit the prompt
2. Rhetorical Situation Topic Proposal
Cannon 2 of Rhetoric: Arrangement
3. Storyboard with between 7 and 12 frames
Cannon 3 of Rhetoric: Style
4. Rough draft of narrative which contains:
Storytelling tone which creates an emotional connection to the writer.
Non-chronological ordering of events through use of the following:
One or more flashback.
One or more instance of foreshadowing.
A wide range of precise, active verbs.
Vivid sensory descriptions appeal to the audience.
Well placed transitional words and phrases.
First person point of view.
Polished grammar.
Precise word choice.
5. Revisions
Background Information & Clarity Revision
Strong Verb Revision
Flashback & Foreshadowing Revision
6. Polished Narrative
Edited and proofread for errors
Individualized Revision Assignment (20%)
Submitted to Turnitin.com
Cannon 4 of Rhetoric: Memory
7. speech outline which shortens your story to fit in the 3-4 minute time frame (1 page 1 side).
Cannon 5 of Rhetoric: Delivery
8. Deliver your 3-4 minute speech to a live audience of scholars who will be analyzing your use of
rhetoric and asking academic questions.

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Appendix A: The Rhetorical Situation Topic Proposal

Directions: Choose one epic or terrifying moment of your life and complete the following topic proposal in
order to prove it is worthy of a narrative. In each section, write 2-4 complex sentences.
Subject

Topic:
Setting:
Characters:

Occasion

Audience Regarding this topic, my audience will likely hold the following beliefs or have these specific
experiences...

Purpose

As an author, my goal is...

Speaker

The reason why my audience will deem me trustworthy and honest about this experience is...

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Appendix B: Storyboard

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Appendix C: Telling to Showing Sentence Work

Directions: Revise your assigned sentence by adding specific details, utilizing strong verbs, and appealing to
the five senses.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

My boyfriend/girlfriend acted like a jerk.

She wears really strange outfits.
The scenery in the mountains was beautiful.
The cake was delicious.
It was a stormy night.
Jack was afraid.
Mary was a pretty girl with blue eyes and blond hair.
It was very dark inside.
I was really mad.
Victoria was so angry that Blain was afraid.
The drive in the car was uncomfortable.
A student's life is hard.
She is creative.
I was embarrassed.
My room is a mess.

Example:
16. Telling: She went home in a bad mood. [What kind of a bad mood? How did she act or look?]
Showing: She stomped home, hands jammed in her pockets, angrily kicking rocks, dogs, small children, and
anything else that crossed her path.

Assigned Sentence: Number ____

Individual Showing Revision: ___________________________________________________________
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Advanced Level Showing Revision:
__________________________________________________________________________________
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Appendix D: The final paragraphs of "The End" by Heermance

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Appendix E: The final paragraphs of "Once More to the Lake" by E. B. White

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Appendix F: Conclusions
As we reread the final paragraphs of our two short stories, write your impression of the ending in the margin.
1. Are the conclusions satisfactory, confusing, surprising? Why?

2. How are these conclusions different? Do you have any lingering questions? Does everything make
sense now?

3. What might have been the author's purpose, which is why they chose to end the story this way?

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Appendix G: Foreshadowing and Flashback

In each passage below, youll find examples of foreshadowing and flashback. Draw one line under each
foreshadowing and two lines under each flashback. Label each and explain what specific feeling it creates in
the audience (atmosphere).
1. Something good was in store for hershe just knew it in her bones! Out on the same open hillside
last year, she had felt angry and helpless beneath the booming, bright fireworks. Today she felt
confident and reassured.
2. Sinking lower and lower, pulled into darkness by the furious undertow, his lungs ached with a pain he
could only describe as one of desperate, red-hot panic. He could no longer hold his breath. He knew
the end was near. Just then the buzzing alarm clock burst in, saving him from having to relive, once
more, that awful experience of many summers ago. He would never go near the sea again, he
promised himself. But who says we can control our future?
3. The horse-sized, emaciated dog started across the street, dragging its lame leg behind as it hobbled
toward Alonso. The boy froze in his tracks, catching his breath. His dog Chance had disappeared in
the fall, leaving Alonsos whole family distressedmom crying, dad peering out the window every
five minutes, hoping that by some miracle Chance would be at the door. Now this old thing was
lumbering toward Alonso...was it chance, or just another look-alike?
4. I try to convince myself it doesnt matter. Peeta Mellark and I are not friends. Not even neighbors.
We dont speak. Our only real interaction happened years ago. Hes probably forgotten it. But I
havent and I know I never will.
-from the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5. The heavy coins made her pockets sag, so Alexia quickly emptied the silver coins onto the table in a
loud, pouring motion. She didnt need them for the bus since her mother was driving her to school
in the newly washed, bright orange Ferrari. Later, she would be sorry shed done that.

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Appendix H: Suspenseful Narrative Expectations

4

Focus

In each part of the

narrative, almost all of
the sentences refer to a
specific moment, idea,
or emotion.

In each part of the

narrative, most
sentences refer to a
specific moment, idea
or emotion.

In each part of the

narrative, some
sentences refer to a
specific moment,
idea, or emotion.

Almost every
sentence refers to a
different moment,
idea, or emotion.

Showing

Writing contains many

uses of both:
Strong verbs
Sensory details

Writing contains some

of both:
Strong verbs
Sensory details

Writing contains
some use of either:
Strong verbs
Sensory details

Writing contains little

to no use of either:
Strong verbs
Sensory details

Writing creates a vivid

picture in the readers
mind throughout the
piece.

Writing creates a vivid

picture in the reader
mind throughout most
of the piece.

Writing creates some

picture in the readers
mind.

Writing creates no
picture in the readers
mind.

Opening scene contains

a detailed moment of
action and setting
elements that grabs the
readers attention.

Opening scene
contains at least two
elements of either
setting, character, or
event.

Opening scene
contains either
setting, character, or
event.

Opening scene is
vague and does not
ground the reader in
the setting, character,
or event.

Writing is separated into

distinct paragraphs that
are connected with
logical transitions,
especially when
transitioning to and
from flashbacks and
foreshadowing.

Writing is separated
into paragraphs, and
transitions are
generally logical.

Paragraphs exists but

is not always properly
used.
Transitions are
unclear.

Foreshadowing and
flashbacks are present,
but a little unclear.

Foreshadowing or
flashback is present,
but not both.

Nearly every sentence is

complete and correctly
written.

Two or three
incomplete sentences
or grammatical errors.

Several incomplete
sentences or
grammatical errors.

Logical
Structure

Sentence
Mechanics

Little or no evidence
of distinct
paragraphs.
No transitions. No
foreshadowing or
flashbacks.
Difficult to read.
Few complete
sentences.

No grammatical errors.

Individualized Scholar has completed

the revision assignment
Revision
with accuracy and has
Assignment

Scholar has mostly

completed the revision
assignment.

Scholar has made

some attempt at the
revision assignment.

Many grammatical
errors.
Scholar has
disregarded the
revision assignment.

improved their
composition.

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