Descriptive Essay Assignment

1. Previous essays from this cluster are about the social and familial circumstances, experiences, hardships that shape our lives. This essay is about how “place” affects our lives. Answer the following questions as a journal entry: Do you think you would be basically the same person if you grew up somewhere else? What elements of the place where you grew up have affected who you are? How strong are your connections to the place where you grew up?
2. Identify how the language of this essay helps establish its picture and make inferences about the childhood setting, then find specific words for present day Newcastle.
3. What do you think the author’s purpose was in writing this essay? How does he feel about his home as an adult? Provide evidence from the essay to support your view.
4. This is a sample of a descriptive essay: the author has used vivid sensory details and images to describe the town of his memory. List images that appeal to each of the senses. Why do you think this kind of imagery is so evocative and effective?
5. The third paragraph is one short sentence. Comment on its function and its place in the essay.
6. Consider the title and the author’s play on words. How does the structure of the essay reflect the idea of old and new?
7. The author uses a chronological structure to develop this descriptive essay. Trace third order in the essay. What is the period of time in which the essay ends? What do you think of this structure? How does it suit the author’s subject?
8. To explore the idea of the effect of place or setting on events and characters, consider some current TV shows or films. What is the show’s setting? How big a role does the setting play in the story? In what way do the characters connect to the setting? How do creators portray the setting: what symbols, shots, or sound effects are used?
9. Think of a place from your childhood that left a strong impression on you. Write a descriptive paragraph about the most vivid aspects of this place. Remember to use sensory images and figures of speech to enliven your writing.