Name:Observation Essay

Directions: Choose a moment in your life when you felt extreme emotion. Describe what happened using imagery and several literary & rhetorical devices.

Hints: - choose a moment that is no longer than 10 minutes

- describe what you saw, heard, touched, smelled, tasted, did, etc.

- do not write directly what happened, where you are, or how you felt.

Instead, use indirect characterization (clues) to allow the reader to visualize what is happening.

- avoid writing “I see,” “I hear,” “I taste,” etc.

Instead of saying “I see a girl,” say “There is a girl” or “A girl is…”

- It’s ok to write about yourself in 3rd-person perspective

Example: instead of saying “I entered the room,” say “the young man entered the room.”

Grading:- due: - 2 pgs. minimum

- MLA Format - use present tense

- must use at least 5 different literary devices

Share final copy with MrCanare@gmail.com

- Underline/highlight the literary devices used.

PART 1: Vocab - Define the terms.

Abstract language not easy to ______________________ because of

being extremely ___________________; not

_____________________

That t-shirt is “cute.”

My hair is “messy.”

Alliteration_______________ of same _____________ beginning

several words, usually ____________________ sounds

Tony the Tiger

Cool Kids Club

Allusion a short reference to a ______________ person or event

They’re the “Brad and Angelina” of the school.

Ambiguityhaving multiple ___________________; uncertainty in

regards to __________________

I really like her. I’m going to give her “a ring” tomorrow.

Analogy _____________________ of an unfamiliar idea to a

familiar one in an attempt to _________________ the unfamiliar

Having my phone taken away is like losing a best friend.

Anaphora____________________ of same _____________ at the

beginning of successive phrases

“This land is your land.

This land is my land.”

Concrete Language language that uses ____________________ words and details

That t-shirt is made of cotton. My hair is brown.

Euphemism The substitution of an _____________________ term for one considered offensively __________________________

He is not weird. He is “unique” and “one-of-a-kind.”

Extended Metaphor A metaphor that is developed over a

__________________ ________ ____________________

Before the battle begins, the players stare at the enemy acrross and prepare for victory.

Hyperbole____________________________ used to express strong

emotions or create a comic effect

This is the most boring class ever.

Implied Metaphor A metaphor that ____________ state the comparison explicitly

She came from heaven to bless me.

Metonymyfigure of speech in which a thing is _____________________ to

by something closely _________________________ to it

- The pen is mightier than the sword.

- Nice threads!

Onomatopoeia use of a word whose ______________________

______________________ or suggests its meaning

-The ticking of the clock…

-A loud splash…

Parallelismrepetition of words or phrases that have _________________

__________________ ________________

Personificationfigure of speech in which an __________________ is given

______________________ characteristics

The streets are loud tonight. I think they are angry at me.

Point of view the mode of narration that an author employs to let the readers “hear” and “see” what takes place in a story

first-person: narrator uses __________ and _________

second-person: the narrator uses _____________

third-person: the narrator uses _______, _______, _________,

________, or a name

omniscient: narrator knows _______________ about the storyPolysyndeton

the use of several __________________________ to create a

rhetorical effect

I bought her flowers, and took her to her favorite park, and set up a picnic, and had her favorite doos, and listened to her talk… and we still broke up.

Rhetorical Question a question that is asked for ___________________ and does

notactually require an answerCould you be any louder?

Similecomparison between two things using a

connective word such as _____________ or _____________

She’s like an angel.

Stream of consciousness a style of writing that _____________________ the

__________________ (and often ____________________)

workings of a character's ____________

“Are they staring at me? Is something on my shirt? I like this shirt. I wish it were bigger. Wait… what was I just doing?”

PART 2: Article – Read and annotate the article. Answer the questions that follow.

Tips for Writing Great Observation Essays

What separates an average writer from a good writer? What separates a good writer from a great writer? While

the nature of writing is so complex that there cannot be just one answer to these questions, there is one quality

that plays a significant role in a writer's overall ability.

Observation.

Great writers are often lauded for their keen observation. What these writers are able to do, what makes their

work so great, is present material on a subject that allows the reader to see things in their mind as clearly as if

they were seeing it with their own eyes. In fact, a great writer will present a subject so well that a reader may be

shown certain details that he or she had never noticed before.

But how can a writer develop such talent? One tried and true method is through the writing of observation

essays. The following is a grouping of hints and tips to help budding writers put together excellent observation

essays.

CHOOSING A TOPIC

Considering the observation essay requires actual observation of a subject, it is a good idea to choose a

topic that you can actually see, including people, places, and things. This can include your grandmother,

a rock concert, or a banana tree. The possibilities are literally endless.

WRITE IN THE PRESENT TENSE

Virtually all observation essays are written in the present tense. That is to say, the writer will be

providing description of what he or she is seeing at the moment. In other words, observation essays are

not written from memory (past tense) or from conjecture of an object's potential qualities (future tense.)

DETAILS, DETAILS

The strength of an observation essay depends upon the level of detail the writer provides. Details allow

the reader to see in his or her mind what you are writing about. For example, if an artist did not provide

details in a painting, or a sculpture, you wouldn't know what he was trying to portray. The same

principle applies for observation essay writing.

USE YOUR SENSES

Sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell; these are your primary weapons when creating an observation

essay. Writing using the five senses to interpret detail is a common practice among writers of all types.

However, this technique is absolutely crucial to the writer of an observation essay. While all five of the

senses might not be used in the observation essay (it probably wouldn't be a good idea to describe how

your grandmother tastes), use as many as possible to create a vivid image in the reader's mind.

USE COMPARATIVE TECHNIQUES

There is a natural tendency for people to use comparison in order to better understand something. One

thing is related to another in order to quantify its characteristics. For the writer, the techniques of similes

and metaphors allow for these comparisons. Don't be afraid of using these techniques in your

observation essay.

CHOOSE RELEVANT DETAILS

In the search for details to strengthen the overall level of description, writers of observation essays often

fall into the "over-description" trap. They will describe every detail imaginable in hopes of painting a

clear picture in the reader's mind. Unfortunately, adding in details that has no relevance to your subject

only serves to clutter up the essay. Make sure that every detail you choose to include is relevant to your

topic.

SEARCH FOR PRECISE LANGUAGE

As we have stated throughout this article, the goal of an observation essay is to be as descriptive as

possible. In order to accomplish this, writers should choose the most precise words when constructing

sentences. For example, describing something as "small" can lead to a wide range of images, but calling

something "microscopic" is much more precise.

“Tips For Writing Great Observation Essays" Worksheet

1. Great writers are often lauded for their __________________ ____________________.

2. What are great writers able to do?

3. What tense are most observation essays in?

4. What do details allow?

5. What are the five senses?

6. Do all five sense need to be used in an observation essay.

7. Why are comparisons used?

8. What is the goal of an observation essay?

9. Writers should choose the most ___________________ words when constructing sentences.

10. Describing something as "small" is not good because…

11. Replace the following phrase with more descriptive, vivid, and detailed writing: “The city is beautiful.”

Observation Essay Rough Drafts Name:

Part 1: How to write better by exercising your observation skills

WE WERE WAITING for the light to change at the intersection of Green Lake Drive and Wallingford. There were no cars, no traffic in either direction, but we still waited. It seemed dumb. I would’ve gone but I was with Lau and Layla.

There was a kid, maybe 25, standing next to us too. He wore paint-splattered Carharts and a t-shirt. He had one of those triangular-shaped pizza boxes that holds a single slice. I wondered why he didn’t go.

The kid didn’t seem to notice that Layla was asleep–or almost asleep–in Lau’s baby sling. When he started talking I could feel my face twisting into a look that was like ‘come on dude, can’t you see we’re trying to walk this baby to sleep.’

“This intersection is usually pretty safe,” he said. He said it loudly and in this tone that seemed to assume we weren’t locals, which seemed strange. Then he said, “But it’s good to be cautious. It’s a Saturday night, you never know.”

“Yeah man, you’re right,” I said.

The light changed and we crossed, leaving him as we turned up the hill. “Why did you answer him like that?” Lau said.

“I dunno. Was I being rude? Couldn’t he see that we were trying to walk Layla to sleep.”

“You don’t think like that until you’re a parent,” Lau said. “Besides, he was probably alone and just wanted to talk to somebody. Didn’t you see that little pizza box? He was going back home to eat by himself.”

Becoming a Better Observer

The lesson here is that while I just quickly ‘scanned’ this kid, talked to him for a second, and then walked on, Lau had, in the same amount of time, picked up on certain details and was able to make observations and connections. Which brings me to the point: if you only see people on the surface, chances are that what you write about people will be superficial as well.

For writers then, learning to observe more closely–let’s call it active observation–means everything.

Active Observation

What we hear by accident often has more credibility than what is said to us directly. –Ann Beattie

Active observation is trying to see the connections between what’s visible in someone (their expressions, clothes, what they’re doing) and invisible (their histories, upbringing, dreams, desires). This is key, because within the gap between what’s visible and invisible is often where the deepest, most credible, and most interesting stories are found.

Instructions: 1. Write a short story (1 paragraph) on the people in the following photos. What are they doing? How are they feeling? What is their relationship with the other people in the picture? Etc.

2. Reflect on why you thought the way you did. What specifically did you see in each photo that told you what the people were doing/feeling/their relationship/etc.?

Example: 1) There was a bombing at a marathon. People are panicked. Some are hurt. The police are not sure what to do or whom to look for.

2) - smoke is in the air - men in dark uniforms and guns are running in all directions - a man with grey hair, running shorts, and a tank top is on the ground; he’s the only one on the ground. - the police are looking in different directions.

1. Story:

2. Reflection:

1. Story:

2. Reflection:

1. Story:

2. Reflection:

PART 2: Detailed Writing - Replace the following phrases with more descriptive, vivid, and detailed writing. Instead of directly saying what is happening, give such detailed writing that the reader will figure out what is happening.

1. “He is nervous.”

2. “The house is a scary place.”

3. “The couple realizes that they aren’t in love anymore.”

4. “She likes someone, but he has a girlfriend.”

5. “She is determined to succeed in life.”

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PART 3: Rough Draft – Think of a 10-minute moment in your life that caused extreme emotion. Describe what you see, hear, smell, touch, think, feel, etc.

Beginning (This is the part before you felt extreme emotion)

1. At the very beginning of your “moment,” what do you see?

2. What do you hear?

3. What are you thinking?

4. Is there anything that you are touching, smelling, or tasting? If so, describe.

Middle (This is the part that causes the extreme emotion)

4. What happens that causes you to feel extreme emotion?

5. How are you feeling?

6. What are you seeing?

7. What are you hearing?

8. What are you doing?

9. Were there other people? If so, what were they doing?

Ending

11. What happens at the end?

12. What are you seeing?

13. What are you hearing?

14. What did you do?

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PART 4: Literary Device Writing – Think of the 10-minute moment in your life that caused extreme emotion. Use literary devices to express what happened. Use present tense.

The Beginning of your “moment”1. Use a simile to describe the location of your story.Example = “The room is like a hidden paradise.”

2. Use parallel structure to describe what you are seeing.“To the left are two tan beds. To the right are two wooden chairs.

3. Use onomatopoeia to describe what you hearing.“The ticking of the clock is all that can be heard.”

The Middle4. Use a metaphor to describe what you’re seeing in the story.“A battle is taking place in his head.”

5. Use an analogy to describe how you are feeling in the story.“He couldn’t stop staring at them, as if they were a beautiful sunrise… or a fatal accident.”

6. Use rhetorical questions to illustrate how you are feeling.“Are people looking at me? Do I look weird? Why do I even care?”

7. Use metonymy to describe several things you are seeing.“tobacco filled the air” “the headlights approached”

The End8. Use personification to describe what you are seeing.“The long walk home became his only friend”

9. Use polysyndeton to describe what you are seeing.“He felt nothing except for a bit of loneliness, and some regret, and insecurity, and some sorrow. But that’s it.”

10. Use a hyperbole to express how you are feeling.“His whole world changed.