Learning Log Entry #9

After completing my presentation on the biographical genre I have been thinking more about the personal narrative category. I believe there is a distinct difference between personal narratives and the narrative genre. I have been thinking about Tompkins’ placement of personal narratives in the biographical genre chapter and wondering if it would be better placed in the narrative genre chapter.

The difference between personal narratives and the narrative genre is the development put into the plot, setting, characters, and details to understand the story. In the narrative genre, the author must think through events, creating a setting, plot, characters, theme. The author must also think through the point of view that will convey the story they are trying to tell. In the personal narrative category of the biographical genre these things are already decided because the events already happened. The characters, setting, theme, and plot are not created or imagined but based on real experiences. The point of view is also decided because the person who experienced it is telling the story.

As I was typing the last few sentences, I was thinking about the similarities and difference between personal narratives and autobiographies. I was thinking about how similar they really are. But I think the major difference is that personal narratives are about one specific event or experience in a person’s life and autobiographies usually span a person’s life. Autobiographies include events over a long period of time and highlight hardships and accomplishments.

A personal narrative does not have to contain a beginning, middle, or end. It’s also not necessary for the author to include details about characters or think about plot development. A personal narrative may lack a setting, theme, literary devices, and conflict and still be considered interesting. In the narrative genre all these elements must be thought through at some level. For example, an author may leave out the setting because it is not important to the story but this has been thought about.

Tompkins (2008) discussed children understanding the idea of a story as early as two and a half years old. Tompkins stated this idea is developed first by hearing stories read to them followed by reading, writing, and telling stories their own stories. I believe the idea of personal narratives is also developed from life experiences. As children listen to their parents discuss the day’s events over dinner or hear their parent on the phone with a friend, they begin to understand the idea of a personal narrative. Usually the stories discussed in these situations are about an unusual, funny, or frustrating part of their day. I think storytelling is part of our history and pastime. Storytelling is tradition that has been past on for generation after generation. Many people have memories of an older relative telling and retelling the same stories from the experiences of their life. Personal narratives are a form of storytelling, which is ingrained in us. Children have an understanding of how to tell a personal narrative long before they are ever asked to write one.

I am happy with Tompkins’ (2008) placement of personal narratives in the biographical genre chapter. There are different skills needed to write a story in the narrative genre. Students must learn to write from a different point of view and tell imagined stories instead of real ones. Placing personal narratives in the narrative genre chapter would give students and teachers a false idea about personal narratives. There are many similarities between the narrative genre and personal narratives but fundamentally they truly are different. A personal narrative is a based on a real event that someone experienced, where narratives are pretend, made-up stories. Personal narratives belong in the biographical genre chapter because of what they are, stories about real events, in real people’s lives, just like autobiographies and biographies.