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Essays About Role Models: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Check our guide, including top examples and prompts on essays about role models to write a high-quality piece about your idol and motivator.

How do you label someone a “role model”? Do you look for exemplary qualities like high intelligence, good leadership skills, and confidence? Role models are critical in personality development and life. For example, research proves that adolescents with positive role models, primarily those they know personally, do better academically and have more courage and self-respect. 

A role model is someone who excels in their field of expertise, inspires you to be a better person, and motivates you to follow an excellent path. They influence your life decisions and encourage you to become a lifelong learner. Who individuals decide to be their role models vary. Although most pick their parents , others also choose prominent people like celebrities, politicians, or singers. 

If you want to start writing about your role model, here are five sample essays to inspire you:

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1. Best Role Model in Life by Prasanna

2. my role model: essay about my father by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 3. word essay on true role models by pragati ghosh, 4. the role model qualities of martin luther king junior: leadership, courage, and self-discipline by anonymous on studymoose.com, 5. my mother: my inspiration and my role model by ankita yadav, 1. why should i have a role model, 2. my role models, 3. what is a role model, 4. disney characters and role models, 5. celebrities and singers as role models, 6. characteristics of a good role model, 7. how do role models affect young people.

“But for me, a role model is someone who motivates me and influences me to be a good human and positive person in life, who gives me a supporting hand to walk and run to achieve my dreams and goals. Role model is not someone who is full of ego, attitude or full of selfishness.”

Prasanna introduces her role model A.R. Rahman as someone who stimulates her desire to be an excellent musician. She mentions how vital it is to look for a role model in the field that you’re interested in. For her, it’s music. Rahman stirs up her passion for learning guitar and reaching the same achievements he had.

She believes anyone can be someone’s role model as long as they are a good person. Prasanna adds that a good role model must help you reach your dreams. She also shares her wish to meet her role model to thank him personally.

Are you interested in music? Check out these 10 essays about music .

“He is the one I always admire in my life. When I have children, I want to be similar to my father to do for my kids how he takes care of me.”

The essay shows the excellent characteristic of the author’s role model, their father. They describe him as a knowledgeable person who always encourages them to be strong in every situation and supports their goals in life. Further, the writer mentions that their father earns respect and admiration from others because of his hard work in becoming a successful businessman and a reputable human being. 

“A role model is somebody who has influenced us in our lives and whom we try to imitate and learn as we are aspired by them.”

Ghosh’s essay acknowledges that in today’s era, a person’s character, style, body language, virtues, deeds, and actions influence what type of role model they will be for others. She notes that an actual role model has self-confidence and good communication skills, shares similar thoughts with those they inspire, knows how to get credit, and does things with good intentions. She concludes her essay by advising the readers to choose their role models wisely.

“… He was a civil right activist and is one of the reasons why African Americans have rights.”

This essay expounds on Martin Luther King Jr .’s qualities that the author admires. These characteristics pushed the writer to choose him as their most significant role model. The piece recounts how Luther King Jr.’s leadership skills in fighting for equal rights and courage in speaking in front of police officers inspired the writer to be as brave as the activist and Baptist minister. The author also includes that despite being busy, Luther King Jr. finished his work on time because of self-discipline.

“She is a mother, a pilot, a driver, a cook, a good person, all at the same time. I not only want to be a pilot like her but want to copy her overall personality.”

In Yadav’s essay, she discusses how her mother became her role model. Aside from being a hard worker, she points out how she religiously follows schedules to be timely with her firm self-discipline. She believes her mother isn’t only the next Master Chef but also someone with a high sense of fashion. She’s a busy person with style. Yadav’s role model is with her at home – a mother, a mentor, and a perfect friend with a fantastic personality.

7 Writing Prompts for Essays About Role Models

Are you ready to write an essay about your role model? If you don’t have a role model or you’re having trouble coming up with a topic to start your essay writing, feel free to use the prompts below:

Most people, especially students, look for a role model to motivate them to find the right career path. At the same time, this path must also let them focus on goals, develop skills, and build character. Use this prompt to discuss your reasons why you want to have or have a role model. Then, introduce your role model by sharing their characteristics and what makes them special. You might also be interested in these essays about critical thinking.

Essays about role models: My role models

People have more than one role model. For this prompt, list your heroes and why you consider them as such. Then, pick the top ones and add their lessons’ impact on your life. Finally, you can include some of their inspirational quotes and explain why these sayings resonate with you.

Define what role models are all about and link relevant research or statistics that prove their importance. Then, talk about your understanding of being a role model and what qualities most look for in their role models today. 

Disney characters, especially princesses, are what young girls want to be. Share your stance on the debate of whether it’s okay for kids to use a fictional character as their role model or not. Affix your reasons why. Make your essay more convincing by adding examples, especially if you disagree with the idea that imaginary characters are worth being idolized.

Many look up to different celebrities and singers and consider them their role models. Some take it to the extreme and follow exactly what their idols do. Unfortunately, many become obsessed and follow even the wrong things, thinking they will gather the same fame and status as their idols. They also forget to live their own unique life. First, say something about youngsters worshipping popular artists. Then, add how people can select more positive and influential models to adore.

Discuss the typical characteristics people associate when they think of a “role model.” Then, give examples of these ideal individuals and share your preferences when favoring a role model.

Role models should motivate and inspire the youth to reach their goals and live as good people. Open discourse about the benefits of having a positive role model and how they can help change the unhealthy behaviors of today’s youth. Make your piece more compelling by adding the adverse effects of having a negative role model. 

Excellent grammar and punctuation are crucial to ensuring a good grade in your essay. See our guide to grammar and punctuation  to know more.

For help with your essay, check our round-up of best essay writing apps .

83 Role Model Topics & Examples

If you wish to explore the qualities of a person you admire or talk about a celebrity, check these role model essay examples and original topics prepared by our team .

🤫 Secrets of Powerful Role Model Essays

🏆 best role model topics & essay examples, 📌 most interesting role models to write about, 👍 good role model topics for research, ❓ role model questions.

How can one define a role model? Who are the role models in today’s society? Role model essays serve the purpose of answering these questions. These assignments can help students to understand the meaning of role models better.

It is not hard to write a good role model essay, but you should know some secrets of making your paper powerful. Before we discuss some useful tips, you can select a problem for your research. Here are some essay topics and titles we can suggest:

  • The significance of parents as role models
  • The role of a teacher in society / Teachers as role models
  • The significance of a role-model leadership
  • What qualities do positive and negative role models have?
  • The role of the mother in a family (or a role model essay on parents in general)
  • How can negative role models affect children?
  • Celebrities have a moral responsibility to be good role models

Remember that you can also ask your professor to provide role model essay examples, if possible. Once you have selected a topic for your paper, you can start working on the essay. Here are some secrets of creating a powerful essay:

Think of the issue you want to discuss (you can select one from our examples) and do preliminary research on it. Although the topic of a role model may not seem hard, it is best to learn as much about it as you can.

Ask your professors about the sources you can use. In general, scholarly sources and peer-reviewed articles are the most important sources of information.

Develop a role model essay outline. Your paper should be well-organized to keep the reader’s interest. Make separate sections for the most significant arguments and remember to include an introductory paragraph and a conclusion.

Your introduction should present the problem you are discussing. Include a thesis statement at the end of the paragraph. A thesis can look like this:

  • Celebrities should be aware of their responsibility to be positive role models.
  • Define a role model. You can look up the definition in dictionaries and discuss your opinion on it. Discuss examples of positive and negative role models.
  • Discuss the qualities that make a person a role model. Should someone be smart to become a role model? Is kindness important? Do academic achievements make someone a role model? Make your paper engaging by discussing these debatable issues.
  • Support your arguments with evidence from your preliminary research. It will make your opinions look reliable. At the same time, do not rely on outside sources solely. Your essay should incorporate a unique perspective on role models and existing knowledge on the issue.
  • When working on an argumentative essay, include a refutation paragraph and discuss an alternative viewpoint on the issue. You should prove that your opinion is more reliable.
  • A role model essay conclusion should include all of your arguments and the main points of the paper.
  • Make sure that you use correct grammar and sentence structures. Check it several times to make sure that there are no mistakes in it. Pay attention to the spelling of words, too. If you are not sure that the grammar is correct, ask your peers to look through the paper for you.

Do not forget that we also have some free paper samples that will provide you with ideas for your essay!

  • Celebrities as Good Role Models In the conclusion, it was affirmed that celebrities’ accomplishments are easily identifiable to the public, as is the case with Angelina and Oprah, and this makes them good role models.
  • Role Model: Nelson Mandela Through the African National Congress party, Mandela was determined to undergo any form of suffering for the sake of the South Africans blacks who were facing a lot of suffering at the hand of apartheid.
  • Willy Loman, a Poor Role Model to His Two Sons Biff and Happy The main theme in the play is sustained in the play with the sons of Willy attaining their personality from their father.
  • Role Model as a Communicator My role model as a public communicator is very intelligent and ethical when presenting his speech to the public; he sticks to a single topic throughout.
  • Oprah Winfrey as Role Model The young Oprah was raised on a farm by her grandmother, and she maintains that the care her grandmother gave her early on probably saved her life.
  • Father as a Male Role Model During the days when schooling was considered to be accessible only to the children of the opulent, those who were not privileged enough to go to school, remained at home and helped their parents in […]
  • Parents as Failed Role Models: A Doll’s House and Fight Club The drinking culture of parents revealed in the story of the Fight Club underscores the elements that increase children’s exposure to alcohol and drug taking.
  • Positive Role Model in “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen To sum up, A Doll’s House presents the harsh life of the mother and wife, Nora, who is trapped with her husband with no choices and goals.
  • Ernie Davis as a Football Role Model He was an exceptional player born ahead of his time, as he stood out on the football field as the first African American to win the Heisman trophy in 1961, and to be chosen for […]
  • The Role Model ‘Central Woman’ in the Literature The other side of her personality is the merciful woman. What seems to be motivating the grandmother is her role and responsibility as a grandmother.
  • Gloria Steinem: A Role Model for Millions of Women However, for the majority of women, the situation changed considerably after the initiation of the suffrage movement in the 19th century, which found its reflection in the women’s rights movement of the 20th and 21st […]
  • Education and Leadership Role Modeling Generally, the article is of great significance to education, for it provides a guideline on what leadership trainers should emphasize in their endeavors of ensuring that education builds all round and sound mind leaders, who […]
  • Significance of a Male Role Model for Forming Tomas and Gabe’s Personal It is possible to pay attention to Tomas and Gabe’s visions of masculinity referring to the ideas developed by Tomas in relation to the question, to the opinion which is characteristic for Gabe, and to […]
  • Nutrition and Excellent Role Model
  • Prophet Muhammad as Role Model for Religious Teachers
  • The Misconception of a Role Model and the Relation to an Athlete
  • The Importance Of A Role Model In The Adventures Of Huckberry Finn By Mark Twain
  • Religion Is A Role Model For Majority Of People
  • Selena Gomez as a Positive Role Model
  • Role Model Worthy For The Field Of Social Work
  • Towards a Holistic Innovation Policy: Can the Swedish National Innovation Council Serve as a Role Model
  • The Barbie Doll’s Role Model For Children
  • The Role Model Qualities Shown by the Finchs’s Maid in To Kill a Mocking
  • Tupac as a Role Model
  • Strategy Development to Launch a New Product! Launching Of iPhone As a Role Model
  • Raising Awareness of My Own Voice Through My Vocal Role Model and Non-Model
  • Taylor Swift: My Role Model
  • Who Is the Role Model for Young Women? Pride and Prejudice and Bj’s Diary
  • True Grit Is Not A Good Role Model For Young Women Today
  • The Life and Work of Jane Goodall, a Scientist and Role Model
  • Women Rhetoricians’ Role Model and Pan Chao
  • The Value of a Role Model in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  • Parents Need To Be A Role Model For Teenagers
  • Princess Diana as a Role Model and People’s Princess
  • The Role Of Models Of A Role Model
  • The Story of an Influential Role Model, George Washington
  • The Loss of a Role Model in In Red Sky At Morning by Richard Bradford
  • The Constitution of India is a Role Model for The World
  • The Importance of the Father as a Role Model
  • Professional Athletes Should Be Role Model to Kindergartners in Modern Society
  • The Best Role Model Of The Worst People
  • A Description of Eleanor Roosevelt as a Good Role Model
  • Why I Chose Martin Luther King as My Role Model
  • Tennyson’s Ulysses as a Victorian Role Model
  • The Possibility of the United States to Become the World Moral, Economic and Political Role Model
  • White Teeth: The Problem of Lacking a Role Model
  • Willy Lohan, A Poor Role Model To His Two Sons Biff And Happy
  • Positive Role Model in the Children and Young Peoples Workforce
  • What Makes A Modern Role Model
  • What Makes A Role Model Like A Good Outlook
  • The Importance of Having a Good Role Model
  • Teacher Role Model and Students’ Physical Activity
  • Walt Disney as a Role Model
  • What Is a Role Model?
  • How Do Role Models Help in Forming Identity?
  • Are Celebrities Good Role Models?
  • What Makes a Good Role Model?
  • Why Do Celebrities Become Role Models?
  • How to Become a Role Model in Your Home?
  • Are Athletes Good Role Models?
  • Who Should Be a Role Model?
  • Do We Need Adults as Role Models?
  • How to Be a Good Role Model?
  • Why Are Celebrities Bad Role Models?
  • What Is Better: Being A Leader Or Role Model?
  • What Makes a Role Model?
  • How Do Role Models Influence Our Lives?
  • Who Is the Best Role Model?
  • Why Is It Important to Be a Positive Role Model?
  • How Do Positive Role Models Affect One’s Behavior?
  • Do Role Models Matter?
  • Can You Be Your Role Model?
  • What Are the Qualities of a Role Model?
  • How Do Role Models Affect You Emotionally?
  • Is It Okay to Not Have a Role Model?
  • Why Do Adults Need Role Models?
  • Who Are Role Models in Today’s Society?
  • How Do Role Models Affect Employees’ Performance?
  • Why Parents Are the Best Role Models?
  • What Are the Three Important Traits of a Good Role Model?
  • Is It Important for Everyone to Have a Role Model?
  • How Many Types of Role Models Are There?
  • In What Ways Are Role Models Important for Leaders?
  • Cultural Identity Research Topics
  • My Hero Titles
  • Relationship Research Ideas
  • Personal Ethics Titles
  • My Best Friend Titles
  • Self-Concept Questions
  • Moral Development Essay Topics
  • Personal Growth Research Ideas
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 9). 83 Role Model Topics & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/role-model-essay-examples/

"83 Role Model Topics & Examples." IvyPanda , 9 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/role-model-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '83 Role Model Topics & Examples'. 9 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "83 Role Model Topics & Examples." November 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/role-model-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "83 Role Model Topics & Examples." November 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/role-model-essay-examples/.

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IvyPanda . "83 Role Model Topics & Examples." November 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/role-model-essay-examples/.

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113 Role Model Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Role models are individuals who inspire and motivate us to be our best selves. They can be famous figures, family members, teachers, or even friends who embody the qualities and characteristics we admire. Writing an essay about a role model can be a great way to reflect on the impact they have had on your life and the lessons you have learned from them. To help you get started, here are 113 role model essay topic ideas and examples:

  • My role model: my mother
  • A role model who has overcome adversity
  • The qualities of a good role model
  • How my role model has inspired me to pursue my dreams
  • The impact of a celebrity role model on society
  • My role model in sports
  • How my role model has influenced my career choices
  • A historical figure who is a role model to me
  • The importance of having a positive role model in life
  • How my role model has taught me the value of hard work
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of kindness
  • My role model in the arts
  • The role model who has taught me the value of perseverance
  • How my role model has helped shape my values and beliefs
  • The impact of a teacher as a role model
  • My role model in business
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of honesty
  • The influence of a sibling as a role model
  • My role model in politics
  • How my role model has taught me the importance of empathy
  • A role model who has inspired me to be a better person
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of education
  • My role model in science
  • How my role model has taught me the value of resilience
  • The impact of a friend as a role model
  • My role model in music
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of generosity
  • The role model who has inspired me to be a leader
  • How my role model has taught me the value of teamwork
  • A role model who has shown me the importance of self-care
  • My role model in literature
  • The influence of a grandparent as a role model
  • How my role model has taught me the importance of humility
  • The impact of a coach as a role model
  • My role model in technology
  • A role model who has inspired me to be creative
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of environmental stewardship
  • How my role model has taught me the value of diversity
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of social justice
  • My role model in fashion
  • The influence of a mentor as a role model
  • How my role model has inspired me to be a better communicator
  • The impact of a religious leader as a role model
  • My role model in film
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of forgiveness
  • The role model who has inspired me to be a lifelong learner
  • How my role model has taught me the value of integrity
  • A role model who has shown me the importance of mindfulness
  • My role model in activism
  • The influence of a neighbor as a role model
  • How my role model has inspired me to be a compassionate person
  • My role model in healthcare
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of self-reflection
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of community service
  • How my role model has taught me the value of self-discipline
  • A role model who has inspired me to be a lifelong volunteer
  • The influence of a teacher as a role model
  • My role model in psychology
  • How my role model has inspired me to be a better listener
  • The impact of a parent as a role model
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of gratitude
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of self-acceptance
  • How my role model has taught me the value of self-love
  • A role model who has inspired me to be a better friend
  • My role model in architecture
  • The influence of a colleague as a role model
  • How my role model has inspired me to be a better team player
  • The impact of a leader as a role model
  • My role model in education
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of mindfulness
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of self-care
  • How my role model has taught me the value of self-awareness
  • A role model who has inspired me to be a better problem solver
  • The influence of a coach as a role model
  • How my role model has inspired me to be a better innovator
  • The impact of a mentor as a role model
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of adaptability
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of resilience
  • How my role model has taught me the value of perseverance
  • A role model who has inspired me to be a better leader
  • The influence of a parent as a role model
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of empathy
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of kindness
  • A role model who has inspired me to be a better listener
  • The influence of a friend as a role model
  • How my role model has inspired me to be a better problem solver
  • A role model who has taught me the importance of resilience
  • A role model who has inspired me to be a better team player
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of perseverance
  • A role model who has taught me the value of self-love
  • How my role model has inspired me to be a better leader
  • The role model who has shown me the importance of self-awareness
  • How my role model has taught me the value of self-care

These are just a few examples of role model essay topics that you can explore. Remember, the key to writing a compelling essay about a role model is to reflect on the impact they have had on your life and the lessons you have learned from them. Whether it's a family member, a friend, a teacher, or a celebrity, there are countless role models out there who can inspire and motivate you to be your best self.

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The Ultimate Narrative Essay Guide for Beginners

blog image

A narrative essay tells a story in chronological order, with an introduction that introduces the characters and sets the scene. Then a series of events leads to a climax or turning point, and finally a resolution or reflection on the experience.

Speaking of which, are you in sixes and sevens about narrative essays? Don’t worry this ultimate expert guide will wipe out all your doubts. So let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Everything You Need to Know About Narrative Essay

What is a narrative essay.

When you go through a narrative essay definition, you would know that a narrative essay purpose is to tell a story. It’s all about sharing an experience or event and is different from other types of essays because it’s more focused on how the event made you feel or what you learned from it, rather than just presenting facts or an argument. Let’s explore more details on this interesting write-up and get to know how to write a narrative essay.

Elements of a Narrative Essay

Here’s a breakdown of the key elements of a narrative essay:

A narrative essay has a beginning, middle, and end. It builds up tension and excitement and then wraps things up in a neat package.

Real people, including the writer, often feature in personal narratives. Details of the characters and their thoughts, feelings, and actions can help readers to relate to the tale.

It’s really important to know when and where something happened so we can get a good idea of the context. Going into detail about what it looks like helps the reader to really feel like they’re part of the story.

Conflict or Challenge 

A story in a narrative essay usually involves some kind of conflict or challenge that moves the plot along. It could be something inside the character, like a personal battle, or something from outside, like an issue they have to face in the world.

Theme or Message

A narrative essay isn’t just about recounting an event – it’s about showing the impact it had on you and what you took away from it. It’s an opportunity to share your thoughts and feelings about the experience, and how it changed your outlook.

Emotional Impact

The author is trying to make the story they’re telling relatable, engaging, and memorable by using language and storytelling to evoke feelings in whoever’s reading it.

Narrative essays let writers have a blast telling stories about their own lives. It’s an opportunity to share insights and impart wisdom, or just have some fun with the reader. Descriptive language, sensory details, dialogue, and a great narrative voice are all essentials for making the story come alive.

The Purpose of a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is more than just a story – it’s a way to share a meaningful, engaging, and relatable experience with the reader. Includes:

Sharing Personal Experience

Narrative essays are a great way for writers to share their personal experiences, feelings, thoughts, and reflections. It’s an opportunity to connect with readers and make them feel something.

Entertainment and Engagement

The essay attempts to keep the reader interested by using descriptive language, storytelling elements, and a powerful voice. It attempts to pull them in and make them feel involved by creating suspense, mystery, or an emotional connection.

Conveying a Message or Insight

Narrative essays are more than just a story – they aim to teach you something. They usually have a moral lesson, a new understanding, or a realization about life that the author gained from the experience.

Building Empathy and Understanding

By telling their stories, people can give others insight into different perspectives, feelings, and situations. Sharing these tales can create compassion in the reader and help broaden their knowledge of different life experiences.

Inspiration and Motivation

Stories about personal struggles, successes, and transformations can be really encouraging to people who are going through similar situations. It can provide them with hope and guidance, and let them know that they’re not alone.

Reflecting on Life’s Significance

These essays usually make you think about the importance of certain moments in life or the impact of certain experiences. They make you look deep within yourself and ponder on the things you learned or how you changed because of those events.

Demonstrating Writing Skills

Coming up with a gripping narrative essay takes serious writing chops, like vivid descriptions, powerful language, timing, and organization. It’s an opportunity for writers to show off their story-telling abilities.

Preserving Personal History

Sometimes narrative essays are used to record experiences and special moments that have an emotional resonance. They can be used to preserve individual memories or for future generations to look back on.

Cultural and Societal Exploration

Personal stories can look at cultural or social aspects, giving us an insight into customs, opinions, or social interactions seen through someone’s own experience.

Format of a Narrative Essay

Narrative essays are quite flexible in terms of format, which allows the writer to tell a story in a creative and compelling way. Here’s a quick breakdown of the narrative essay format, along with some examples:

Introduction

Set the scene and introduce the story.

Engage the reader and establish the tone of the narrative.

Hook: Start with a captivating opening line to grab the reader’s attention. For instance:

Example:  “The scorching sun beat down on us as we trekked through the desert, our water supply dwindling.”

Background Information: Provide necessary context or background without giving away the entire story.

Example:  “It was the summer of 2015 when I embarked on a life-changing journey to…”

Thesis Statement or Narrative Purpose

Present the main idea or the central message of the essay.

Offer a glimpse of what the reader can expect from the narrative.

Thesis Statement: This isn’t as rigid as in other essays but can be a sentence summarizing the essence of the story.

Example:  “Little did I know, that seemingly ordinary hike would teach me invaluable lessons about resilience and friendship.”

Body Paragraphs

Present the sequence of events in chronological order.

Develop characters, setting, conflict, and resolution.

Story Progression : Describe events in the order they occurred, focusing on details that evoke emotions and create vivid imagery.

Example : Detail the trek through the desert, the challenges faced, interactions with fellow hikers, and the pivotal moments.

Character Development : Introduce characters and their roles in the story. Show their emotions, thoughts, and actions.

Example : Describe how each character reacted to the dwindling water supply and supported each other through adversity.

Dialogue and Interactions : Use dialogue to bring the story to life and reveal character personalities.

Example : “Sarah handed me her last bottle of water, saying, ‘We’re in this together.'”

Reach the peak of the story, the moment of highest tension or significance.

Turning Point: Highlight the most crucial moment or realization in the narrative.

Example:  “As the sun dipped below the horizon and hope seemed lost, a distant sound caught our attention—the rescue team’s helicopters.”

Provide closure to the story.

Reflect on the significance of the experience and its impact.

Reflection : Summarize the key lessons learned or insights gained from the experience.

Example : “That hike taught me the true meaning of resilience and the invaluable support of friendship in challenging times.”

Closing Thought : End with a memorable line that reinforces the narrative’s message or leaves a lasting impression.

Example : “As we boarded the helicopters, I knew this adventure would forever be etched in my heart.”

Example Summary:

Imagine a narrative about surviving a challenging hike through the desert, emphasizing the bonds formed and lessons learned. The narrative essay structure might look like starting with an engaging scene, narrating the hardships faced, showcasing the characters’ resilience, and culminating in a powerful realization about friendship and endurance.

Different Types of Narrative Essays

There are a bunch of different types of narrative essays – each one focuses on different elements of storytelling and has its own purpose. Here’s a breakdown of the narrative essay types and what they mean.

Personal Narrative

Description : Tells a personal story or experience from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Reflects on personal growth, lessons learned, or significant moments.

Example of Narrative Essay Types:

Topic : “The Day I Conquered My Fear of Public Speaking”

Focus: Details the experience, emotions, and eventual triumph over a fear of public speaking during a pivotal event.

Descriptive Narrative

Description : Emphasizes vivid details and sensory imagery.

Purpose : Creates a sensory experience, painting a vivid picture for the reader.

Topic : “A Walk Through the Enchanted Forest”

Focus : Paints a detailed picture of the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings experienced during a walk through a mystical forest.

Autobiographical Narrative

Description: Chronicles significant events or moments from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Provides insights into the writer’s life, experiences, and growth.

Topic: “Lessons from My Childhood: How My Grandmother Shaped Who I Am”

Focus: Explores pivotal moments and lessons learned from interactions with a significant family member.

Experiential Narrative

Description: Relays experiences beyond the writer’s personal life.

Purpose: Shares experiences, travels, or events from a broader perspective.

Topic: “Volunteering in a Remote Village: A Journey of Empathy”

Focus: Chronicles the writer’s volunteering experience, highlighting interactions with a community and personal growth.

Literary Narrative

Description: Incorporates literary elements like symbolism, allegory, or thematic explorations.

Purpose: Uses storytelling for deeper explorations of themes or concepts.

Topic: “The Symbolism of the Red Door: A Journey Through Change”

Focus: Uses a red door as a symbol, exploring its significance in the narrator’s life and the theme of transition.

Historical Narrative

Description: Recounts historical events or periods through a personal lens.

Purpose: Presents history through personal experiences or perspectives.

Topic: “A Grandfather’s Tales: Living Through the Great Depression”

Focus: Shares personal stories from a family member who lived through a historical era, offering insights into that period.

Digital or Multimedia Narrative

Description: Incorporates multimedia elements like images, videos, or audio to tell a story.

Purpose: Explores storytelling through various digital platforms or formats.

Topic: “A Travel Diary: Exploring Europe Through Vlogs”

Focus: Combines video clips, photos, and personal narration to document a travel experience.

How to Choose a Topic for Your Narrative Essay?

Selecting a compelling topic for your narrative essay is crucial as it sets the stage for your storytelling. Choosing a boring topic is one of the narrative essay mistakes to avoid . Here’s a detailed guide on how to choose the right topic:

Reflect on Personal Experiences

  • Significant Moments:

Moments that had a profound impact on your life or shaped your perspective.

Example: A moment of triumph, overcoming a fear, a life-changing decision, or an unforgettable experience.

  • Emotional Resonance:

Events that evoke strong emotions or feelings.

Example: Joy, fear, sadness, excitement, or moments of realization.

  • Lessons Learned:

Experiences that taught you valuable lessons or brought about personal growth.

Example: Challenges that led to personal development, shifts in mindset, or newfound insights.

Explore Unique Perspectives

  • Uncommon Experiences:

Unique or unconventional experiences that might captivate the reader’s interest.

Example: Unusual travels, interactions with different cultures, or uncommon hobbies.

  • Different Points of View:

Stories from others’ perspectives that impacted you deeply.

Example: A family member’s story, a friend’s experience, or a historical event from a personal lens.

Focus on Specific Themes or Concepts

  • Themes or Concepts of Interest:

Themes or ideas you want to explore through storytelling.

Example: Friendship, resilience, identity, cultural diversity, or personal transformation.

  • Symbolism or Metaphor:

Using symbols or metaphors as the core of your narrative.

Example: Exploring the symbolism of an object or a place in relation to a broader theme.

Consider Your Audience and Purpose

  • Relevance to Your Audience:

Topics that resonate with your audience’s interests or experiences.

Example: Choose a relatable theme or experience that your readers might connect with emotionally.

  • Impact or Message:

What message or insight do you want to convey through your story?

Example: Choose a topic that aligns with the message or lesson you aim to impart to your readers.

Brainstorm and Evaluate Ideas

  • Free Writing or Mind Mapping:

Process: Write down all potential ideas without filtering. Mind maps or free-writing exercises can help generate diverse ideas.

  • Evaluate Feasibility:

The depth of the story, the availability of vivid details, and your personal connection to the topic.

Imagine you’re considering topics for a narrative essay. You reflect on your experiences and decide to explore the topic of “Overcoming Stage Fright: How a School Play Changed My Perspective.” This topic resonates because it involves a significant challenge you faced and the personal growth it brought about.

Narrative Essay Topics

50 easy narrative essay topics.

  • Learning to Ride a Bike
  • My First Day of School
  • A Surprise Birthday Party
  • The Day I Got Lost
  • Visiting a Haunted House
  • An Encounter with a Wild Animal
  • My Favorite Childhood Toy
  • The Best Vacation I Ever Had
  • An Unforgettable Family Gathering
  • Conquering a Fear of Heights
  • A Special Gift I Received
  • Moving to a New City
  • The Most Memorable Meal
  • Getting Caught in a Rainstorm
  • An Act of Kindness I Witnessed
  • The First Time I Cooked a Meal
  • My Experience with a New Hobby
  • The Day I Met My Best Friend
  • A Hike in the Mountains
  • Learning a New Language
  • An Embarrassing Moment
  • Dealing with a Bully
  • My First Job Interview
  • A Sporting Event I Attended
  • The Scariest Dream I Had
  • Helping a Stranger
  • The Joy of Achieving a Goal
  • A Road Trip Adventure
  • Overcoming a Personal Challenge
  • The Significance of a Family Tradition
  • An Unusual Pet I Owned
  • A Misunderstanding with a Friend
  • Exploring an Abandoned Building
  • My Favorite Book and Why
  • The Impact of a Role Model
  • A Cultural Celebration I Participated In
  • A Valuable Lesson from a Teacher
  • A Trip to the Zoo
  • An Unplanned Adventure
  • Volunteering Experience
  • A Moment of Forgiveness
  • A Decision I Regretted
  • A Special Talent I Have
  • The Importance of Family Traditions
  • The Thrill of Performing on Stage
  • A Moment of Sudden Inspiration
  • The Meaning of Home
  • Learning to Play a Musical Instrument
  • A Childhood Memory at the Park
  • Witnessing a Beautiful Sunset

Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

  • Discovering a New Passion
  • Overcoming Academic Challenges
  • Navigating Cultural Differences
  • Embracing Independence: Moving Away from Home
  • Exploring Career Aspirations
  • Coping with Stress in College
  • The Impact of a Mentor in My Life
  • Balancing Work and Studies
  • Facing a Fear of Public Speaking
  • Exploring a Semester Abroad
  • The Evolution of My Study Habits
  • Volunteering Experience That Changed My Perspective
  • The Role of Technology in Education
  • Finding Balance: Social Life vs. Academics
  • Learning a New Skill Outside the Classroom
  • Reflecting on Freshman Year Challenges
  • The Joys and Struggles of Group Projects
  • My Experience with Internship or Work Placement
  • Challenges of Time Management in College
  • Redefining Success Beyond Grades
  • The Influence of Literature on My Thinking
  • The Impact of Social Media on College Life
  • Overcoming Procrastination
  • Lessons from a Leadership Role
  • Exploring Diversity on Campus
  • Exploring Passion for Environmental Conservation
  • An Eye-Opening Course That Changed My Perspective
  • Living with Roommates: Challenges and Lessons
  • The Significance of Extracurricular Activities
  • The Influence of a Professor on My Academic Journey
  • Discussing Mental Health in College
  • The Evolution of My Career Goals
  • Confronting Personal Biases Through Education
  • The Experience of Attending a Conference or Symposium
  • Challenges Faced by Non-Native English Speakers in College
  • The Impact of Traveling During Breaks
  • Exploring Identity: Cultural or Personal
  • The Impact of Music or Art on My Life
  • Addressing Diversity in the Classroom
  • Exploring Entrepreneurial Ambitions
  • My Experience with Research Projects
  • Overcoming Impostor Syndrome in College
  • The Importance of Networking in College
  • Finding Resilience During Tough Times
  • The Impact of Global Issues on Local Perspectives
  • The Influence of Family Expectations on Education
  • Lessons from a Part-Time Job
  • Exploring the College Sports Culture
  • The Role of Technology in Modern Education
  • The Journey of Self-Discovery Through Education

Narrative Essay Comparison

Narrative essay vs. descriptive essay.

Here’s our first narrative essay comparison! While both narrative and descriptive essays focus on vividly portraying a subject or an event, they differ in their primary objectives and approaches. Now, let’s delve into the nuances of comparison on narrative essays.

Narrative Essay:

Storytelling: Focuses on narrating a personal experience or event.

Chronological Order: Follows a structured timeline of events to tell a story.

Message or Lesson: Often includes a central message, moral, or lesson learned from the experience.

Engagement: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling storyline and character development.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, using “I” and expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a plot with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Focuses on describing characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Conflict or Challenge: Usually involves a central conflict or challenge that drives the narrative forward.

Dialogue: Incorporates conversations to bring characters and their interactions to life.

Reflection: Concludes with reflection or insight gained from the experience.

Descriptive Essay:

Vivid Description: Aims to vividly depict a person, place, object, or event.

Imagery and Details: Focuses on sensory details to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

Emotion through Description: Uses descriptive language to evoke emotions and engage the reader’s senses.

Painting a Picture: Creates a sensory-rich description allowing the reader to visualize the subject.

Imagery and Sensory Details: Focuses on providing rich sensory descriptions, using vivid language and adjectives.

Point of Focus: Concentrates on describing a specific subject or scene in detail.

Spatial Organization: Often employs spatial organization to describe from one area or aspect to another.

Objective Observations: Typically avoids the use of personal opinions or emotions; instead, the focus remains on providing a detailed and objective description.

Comparison:

Focus: Narrative essays emphasize storytelling, while descriptive essays focus on vividly describing a subject or scene.

Perspective: Narrative essays are often written from a first-person perspective, while descriptive essays may use a more objective viewpoint.

Purpose: Narrative essays aim to convey a message or lesson through a story, while descriptive essays aim to paint a detailed picture for the reader without necessarily conveying a specific message.

Narrative Essay vs. Argumentative Essay

The narrative essay and the argumentative essay serve distinct purposes and employ different approaches:

Engagement and Emotion: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling story.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience or lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, sharing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a storyline with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Message or Lesson: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Argumentative Essay:

Persuasion and Argumentation: Aims to persuade the reader to adopt the writer’s viewpoint on a specific topic.

Logical Reasoning: Presents evidence, facts, and reasoning to support a particular argument or stance.

Debate and Counterarguments: Acknowledge opposing views and counter them with evidence and reasoning.

Thesis Statement: Includes a clear thesis statement that outlines the writer’s position on the topic.

Thesis and Evidence: Starts with a strong thesis statement and supports it with factual evidence, statistics, expert opinions, or logical reasoning.

Counterarguments: Addresses opposing viewpoints and provides rebuttals with evidence.

Logical Structure: Follows a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, and a conclusion reaffirming the thesis.

Formal Language: Uses formal language and avoids personal anecdotes or emotional appeals.

Objective: Argumentative essays focus on presenting a logical argument supported by evidence, while narrative essays prioritize storytelling and personal reflection.

Purpose: Argumentative essays aim to persuade and convince the reader of a particular viewpoint, while narrative essays aim to engage, entertain, and share personal experiences.

Structure: Narrative essays follow a storytelling structure with character development and plot, while argumentative essays follow a more formal, structured approach with logical arguments and evidence.

In essence, while both essays involve writing and presenting information, the narrative essay focuses on sharing a personal experience, whereas the argumentative essay aims to persuade the audience by presenting a well-supported argument.

Narrative Essay vs. Personal Essay

While there can be an overlap between narrative and personal essays, they have distinctive characteristics:

Storytelling: Emphasizes recounting a specific experience or event in a structured narrative form.

Engagement through Story: Aims to engage the reader through a compelling story with characters, plot, and a central theme or message.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience and the lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s viewpoint, expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Focuses on developing a storyline with a clear beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Includes descriptions of characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Central Message: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Personal Essay:

Exploration of Ideas or Themes: Explores personal ideas, opinions, or reflections on a particular topic or subject.

Expression of Thoughts and Opinions: Expresses the writer’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on a specific subject matter.

Reflection and Introspection: Often involves self-reflection and introspection on personal experiences, beliefs, or values.

Varied Structure and Content: Can encompass various forms, including memoirs, personal anecdotes, or reflections on life experiences.

Flexibility in Structure: Allows for diverse structures and forms based on the writer’s intent, which could be narrative-like or more reflective.

Theme-Centric Writing: Focuses on exploring a central theme or idea, with personal anecdotes or experiences supporting and illustrating the theme.

Expressive Language: Utilizes descriptive and expressive language to convey personal perspectives, emotions, and opinions.

Focus: Narrative essays primarily focus on storytelling through a structured narrative, while personal essays encompass a broader range of personal expression, which can include storytelling but isn’t limited to it.

Structure: Narrative essays have a more structured plot development with characters and a clear sequence of events, while personal essays might adopt various structures, focusing more on personal reflection, ideas, or themes.

Intent: While both involve personal experiences, narrative essays emphasize telling a story with a message or lesson learned, while personal essays aim to explore personal thoughts, feelings, or opinions on a broader range of topics or themes.

5 Easy Steps for Writing a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is more than just telling a story. It’s also meant to engage the reader, get them thinking, and leave a lasting impact. Whether it’s to amuse, motivate, teach, or reflect, these essays are a great way to communicate with your audience. This interesting narrative essay guide was all about letting you understand the narrative essay, its importance, and how can you write one.

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Descriptive Essay: My Role Models

Many people look to someone to serve as a model or motivator for their life. They want someone to look up to, who has good values and a sense of honor and integrity. Most people choose one person to act as their ‘guiding light’ for their life, but I am slightly different. I have chosen several. No one is perfect, after all, so I have a few people whose traits or deeds I admire. I think of them often and hope to live my life in a similar way.

My first role model has been with me since I saw his bronzed shoes in a museum when I was five. The shoes belong to Terry Fox. He’s a hero to an entire nation because he raced across Canada with one artificial leg in order to raise money for cancer research. He endured horrible weather, illness, physical pain, and other extreme hardships in order to meet his goal. I admire him for what he attempted, even though he did not succeed. Terry Fox had wanted to race across Canada, but did not make it more than a third of the way. He’s famous now, but was unknown at the time, so what he did was mostly in anonymity. But he never gave up. He had a goal and he worked toward it, no matter the end result.

My second role model is my best friend Rachel. I chose her because she is close to me. She is someone I can connect with on a daily basis, and watch as she muddles through life’s daily tribulations with as much honor and respect as she can muster. Has she undergone incredible hardships in her life? No. Not really. But she lives through the politics of every day adult life trying to be honest with herself and with others, avoiding gossip and being generous with people. Every time she buys me dinner, or spends time with my young niece, I’m reminded that people can be generous and caring.

The last person I look to as a role model is myself. I find that I do not always have to look outside myself for motivation and positivity. I have endured hardships in my life. I’ve lost family members to illness and stood up to defend myself from abuse. I live with an anxiety disorder and have to continually remind myself about various calming techniques. But I still stay positive and do my best every day. I can look back at things I’ve accomplished in my life and be proud. I can look at what I’ve overcome and realize that I am strong.

Role models are important. Life can be hard, with money woes and illness dragging us down. People need tangible reminders of the fact that strength and honor can triumph in rough circumstance. They need to be aware that every day people can be generous and caring. And people need to know that they, themselves, are brave and strong.

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Role Model Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on role model.

Role Model Essay – There are many people in the world who blindly follow anyone. Also, they admire and love that person no matter what he does. A role model is a person who inspires you to be like him.

Moreover, a role model is the person you love and want to be like him. Besides this, the role model can be anyone from a celebrity to a politician to your family member.

Role Model Essay

My Role Model

The missile man of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam is my role model. He is my role model not because he has achieved great things in life and become the president of India. He is my role model because he dedicated his entire life to the country and its people especially school children.

His Achievement

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam worked his entire life and achieved many great things in life. But several of his bigger achievements are the testing of Atomic bombs at Pokhran, development of the missile Agni and Prithvi, and becoming the president of India . But there is one more thing which is of great importance that is after his retirement from the presidential post he started teaching because it was his passion.

narrative essay about a role model

He always says that this young generation is the future of the country so guide them on the right path and they lead India to greatness.

His Personal Life

Dr. Abdul Kalam was so dedicated to his work that he usually sleeps late at night and wakes up early in the morning. Also, he never misused his power as a president of India. Besides, all this his family (brother and sisters) was also a very humble person who earn their living by doing work and they live simple lives.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Qualities of a Role Model

There are certain qualities of a good role model which make him/her a great man/women. These qualities include a demonstration of confidence and leadership , communication with everyone, being unique, showing respect and concern for others, treating everyone equally, willingness to admit mistakes, and maintaining the same character inside or outside the job. If a person possesses these qualities then he/she can be an ideal role model.

How to be a Role Model for Others?

Being a role model to someone is not an easy task especially if you focus on being a role model. The thing about being a role model is that you only do the right thing and people starts to follow. Also, you do not have to achieve something bigger just follow your heart and the above-mentioned qualities and be patient and you will be a role model one day.

My Other Role Model

Apart from Dr. Abdul Kalam, I have other role models in my life that belong to different fields and different profession. The persons are Ratan Tata, Bill Gates, Will Smith, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Kalpana Chawla , Albert Einstein , B.R. Ambedkar, my father, and my mother.

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My Role Model Essay: A Few Ways to Elaborate on The Subject

EssayEdge > Blog > My Role Model Essay: A Few Ways to Elaborate on The Subject

You might be surprised at how much your answer to this question can say about you. The role model you choose for your role model essay is not nearly as important as your description of that person and the way you relate this back to yourself. Here are some principles to keep in mind when writing this essay.

  • Choose someone with whom you have had a meaningful relationship. Who is your role model? Don’t pick a more important but distant figure. No one will be impressed if you choose, for example, the CEO of your company but have nothing to say about him beyond listing the credentials in his company profile. Note: There are some questions that allow you to identify a “hero,” and others that ask you to describe an ideal manager. In those cases you should alter your choice accordingly, but the below principles still apply.
  • Express thoughtful admiration.  Glorifying your role model makes you sound naíve. Focus instead on describing the person in an insightful manner and explaining why you value what he or she represents. You might even have reason to differentiate yourself from your role model in specific ways, though the overall purpose should be to describe what you admire and want to emulate.
  • Describe and illustrate specific qualities.  My role model essays should be accurate. Avoid relying on vague language that merely depicts your role model as “brilliant” or “compassionate.” Instead, aim for a more penetrating portrait that captures your role model’s complexities. Moreover, just because you’re not writing about yourself does not mean that you don’t have to back up your claims. Show your role model in detailed action to convey the qualities that he or she embodies.

Brian P.

  • Tell stories.  Using specific anecdotes is the best way to achieve depth in your description. By describing the details of a particular episode, you can convey much more about a person than by listing any number of characteristics.
  • Show the role model’s tangible influence on you.  The best way to demonstrate the importance your role model has played in your life is to recount changes you’ve made based on that person’s influence. Of course, you should not come across as a sycophant or a blind follower. But you can show how your role model provoked ideas that then initiated a course of action.

Need help? Check out EssayEdge editing services:

This applicant offers a meaningful portrait of his father in just 300 words. Unlike the previous applicant , he chooses to name the qualities that he admires right from the outset, but he then goes on to justify them with concrete examples.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Hero — Role Models

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Essays on Role Models

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Who is Your Role Model: My Father's Influence on My Life

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Parents Should not Rely on Athletes as Role Models

Prophet muhammad as a role model for me, my role model - tyler joseph, the way andrew carnegie's wealth made him a national hero, why my role model is my mother, the people i consider to be my heroes, teen leader follow jesus as role model, my role model at work, how disney’s princesses are bad role models, how media portrays sport personalities and how it influences their image, my role model: john lennon, roles and responsibilities of managers, the bem sex-role inventory, facilitating and team group dynamics reflection disc, key reasons for andrew carnegie's success, noam chomsky – my role model, barbie as a multifaceted role model: more than a doll, does a role model have an impact on a person's life, my hero speeches: an exploration of the importance of role models, steve harvey: my role model.

A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people.

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Why My Mom is My Role Model

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Essay on My Role Model

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Role Model in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Role Model

Introduction.

My role models are my parents. They are the pillars of strength and guide me in my life.

Parental Love

Their unconditional love and care make me feel secure. They teach me to love and respect all.

Hard Work and Dedication

My parents work hard to provide for our family. Their dedication inspires me to work hard in my studies.

Values and Morals

They instill in me good values and morals, shaping me into a better person.

250 Words Essay on My Role Model

Parents are the first role models for any child. In my life, my parents have played a pivotal role, shaping my character, values, and aspirations. Their influence is not confined to my early years but continues to guide me in my adult life.

Embodiments of Values

My parents are the embodiment of core values such as honesty, hard work, and compassion. Their consistent demonstration of these values has deeply ingrained them in my character. They’ve taught me that integrity is not situational but a constant trait, and hard work is the key to success.

Inspiration and Guidance

They have always been my guiding light, helping me navigate through life’s complexities. Their life stories, filled with struggles and triumphs, inspire me to face challenges with courage and resilience. They have shown me that setbacks are not the end but stepping stones to success.

Unconditional Love and Support

Their unconditional love and support have been my safety net. They have taught me the importance of empathy and understanding, shaping me into a compassionate individual. Their unwavering faith in me has instilled confidence and encouraged me to pursue my dreams.

My parents’ influence extends beyond their roles as caregivers. They are my role models, guiding me through life’s journey with their wisdom, instilling in me values, and nurturing my dreams. Their impact is profound and enduring, shaping me into the person I am today.

500 Words Essay on My Role Model

My parents: pillars of strength and wisdom.

My parents, with their unique blend of strength and wisdom, have always been a beacon of inspiration. Their personal and professional journeys, marked by resilience and determination, have taught me that life is not about avoiding storms but learning how to dance in the rain. They have shown me that success is not measured by wealth or status, but by the positive impact we have on others’ lives.

The Value of Education

As staunch advocates for education, my parents instilled in me a love for learning from an early age. They emphasized that education is not merely about acquiring knowledge or skills, but about nurturing curiosity, developing critical thinking, and fostering a lifelong commitment to personal growth. This perspective has shaped my academic journey, encouraging me to pursue knowledge beyond textbooks and classrooms, and to value intellectual curiosity over rote learning.

Lessons in Empathy and Kindness

Resilience and perseverance.

Life is not always smooth sailing, and it is during these turbulent times that my parents’ resilience shines through. They have taught me that setbacks and failures are not roadblocks but stepping stones towards success. Their perseverance in the face of adversity has inspired me to embrace challenges with courage and determination, and to view each obstacle as an opportunity for growth.

In conclusion, my parents are my role models, their lives a testament to the power of perseverance, the value of education, and the importance of kindness and empathy. They have shaped my worldview, inspired my aspirations, and guided my actions. As I navigate the complexities of college life and beyond, I am grateful for their unwavering support and guidance. Their footprints serve as a roadmap, guiding me towards a life of purpose, fulfillment, and positive impact.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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How to Write a Narrative Essay A Step by Step Guide Featured

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How to Write a Narrative Essay — A Step-by-Step Guide

N arrative essays are important papers most students have to write. But how does one write a narrative essay? Fear not, we’re going to show you how to write a narrative essay by breaking down a variety of narrative writing strategies. By the end, you’ll know why narrative essays are so important – and how to write your own.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step

Background on narrative essays.

Narrative essays are important assignments in many writing classes – but what is a narrative essay? A narrative essay is a prose-written story that’s focused on the commentary of a central theme .

Narrative essays are generally written in the first-person POV , and are usually about a topic that’s personal to the writer.

Everything in a narrative essay should take place in an established timeline, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

In simplest terms, a narrative essay is a personal story. A narrative essay can be written in response to a prompt or as an independent exercise.

We’re going to get to tips and tricks on how to write a narrative essay in a bit, but first let’s check out a video on “story.” 

How to Start a Narrative Essay  •  What is a Story? by Mr. Kresphus

In some regards, any story can be regarded as a personal story, but for the sake of this article, we’re going to focus on prose-written stories told in the first-person POV.

How to Start a Narrative Essay

Responding to prompts.

Many people wonder about how to start a narrative essay. Well, if you’re writing a narrative essay in response to a prompt, then chances are the person issuing the prompt is looking for a specific answer.

For example: if the prompt states “recount a time you encountered a challenge,” then chances are the person issuing the prompt wants to hear about how you overcame a challenge or learned from it.

That isn’t to say you have to respond to the prompt in one way; “overcoming” or “learning” from a challenge can be constituted in a variety of ways.

For example, you could structure your essay around overcoming a physical challenge, like an injury or disability. Or you could structure your essay around learning from failure, such as losing at a sport or performing poorly on an important exam.

Whatever it is, you must show that the challenge forced you to grow. 

Maturation is an important process – and an essential aspect of narrative essays... of course, there are exceptions to the rule; lack of maturation is a prescient theme in narrative essays too; although that’s mostly reserved for experienced essay writers.

So, let’s take a look at how you might respond to a series of narrative essay prompts:

How successful are you?

This prompt begs the writer to impart humility without throwing a pity party. I would respond to this prompt by demonstrating pride in what I do while offering modesty. For example: “I have achieved success in what I set out to do – but I still have a long way to go to achieve my long-term goals.”

Who is your role model?

“My role model is [Blank] because ” is how you should start this narrative essay. The “because” is the crux of your essay. For example, I’d say “Bill Russell is my role model because he demonstrated graceful resolve in the face of bigotry and discrimination. 

Do you consider yourself spiritual?

For this prompt, you should explain how you came to the conclusion of whether or not you consider yourself a spiritual person. Of course, prompt-givers will differ on how much they want you to freely express. For example: if the prompt-giver is an employee at an evangelizing organization, then they probably want to see that you’re willing to propagate the church’s agenda. Alternatively, if the prompt-giver is non-denominational, they probably want to see that you’re accepting of people from various spiritual backgrounds.

How to Write Narrative Essay

What makes a good narrative essay.

You don’t have to respond to a prompt to write a narrative essay. So, how do you write a narrative essay without a prompt? Well, that’s the thing… you can write a narrative essay about anything!

That’s a bit of a blessing and a curse though – on one hand it’s liberating to choose any topic you want; on the other, it’s difficult to narrow down a good story from an infinite breadth of possibilities.

In this next video, the team at Essay Pro explores why passion is the number one motivator for effective narrative essays.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step  •  Real Essay Examples by Essay Pro

So, before you write anything, ask yourself: “what am I passionate about?” Movies? Sports? Books? Games? Baking? Volunteering? Whatever it is, make sure that it’s something that demonstrates your individual growth . It doesn’t have to be anything major; take a video game for example: you could write a narrative essay about searching for a rare weapon with friends.

Success or failure, you’ll be able to demonstrate growth.

Here’s something to consider: writing a narrative essay around intertextuality. What is intertextuality ? Intertextuality is the relationship between texts, i.e., books, movies, plays, songs, games, etc. In other words, it’s anytime one text is referenced in another text.

For example, you could write a narrative essay about your favorite movie! Just make sure that it ultimately reflects back on yourself. 

Narrative Writing Format

Structure of a narrative essay.

Narrative essays differ in length and structure – but there are some universal basics. The first paragraph of a narrative essay should always introduce the central theme. For example, if the narrative essay is about “a fond childhood memory,” then the first paragraph should briefly comment on the nature of the fond childhood memory.

In general, a narrative essay should have an introductory paragraph with a topic sentence (reiterating the prompt or basic idea), a brief commentary on the central theme, and a set-up for the body paragraphs.

The body paragraphs should make up the vast majority of the narrative essay. In the body paragraphs, the writer should essentially “build the story’s case.” What do I mean by “build the story’s case?”

Well, I mean that the writer should display the story’s merit; what it means, why it matters, and how it proves (or refutes) personal growth.

The narrative essay should always conclude with a dedicated paragraph. In the “conclusion paragraph,” the writer should reflect on the story.

Pro tip: conclusion paragraphs usually work best when the writer stays within the diegesis. 

What is a Video Essay?

A video essay is a natural extension of a narrative essay; differentiated only by purpose and medium. In our next article, we’ll explain what a video essay is, and why it’s so important to media criticism. By the end, you’ll know where to look for video essay inspiration.

Up Next: The Art of Video Analysis →

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3 Great Narrative Essay Examples + Tips for Writing

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A narrative essay is one of the most intimidating assignments you can be handed at any level of your education. Where you've previously written argumentative essays that make a point or analytic essays that dissect meaning, a narrative essay asks you to write what is effectively a story .

But unlike a simple work of creative fiction, your narrative essay must have a clear and concrete motif —a recurring theme or idea that you’ll explore throughout. Narrative essays are less rigid, more creative in expression, and therefore pretty different from most other essays you’ll be writing.

But not to fear—in this article, we’ll be covering what a narrative essay is, how to write a good one, and also analyzing some personal narrative essay examples to show you what a great one looks like.

What Is a Narrative Essay?

At first glance, a narrative essay might sound like you’re just writing a story. Like the stories you're used to reading, a narrative essay is generally (but not always) chronological, following a clear throughline from beginning to end. Even if the story jumps around in time, all the details will come back to one specific theme, demonstrated through your choice in motifs.

Unlike many creative stories, however, your narrative essay should be based in fact. That doesn’t mean that every detail needs to be pure and untainted by imagination, but rather that you shouldn’t wholly invent the events of your narrative essay. There’s nothing wrong with inventing a person’s words if you can’t remember them exactly, but you shouldn’t say they said something they weren’t even close to saying.

Another big difference between narrative essays and creative fiction—as well as other kinds of essays—is that narrative essays are based on motifs. A motif is a dominant idea or theme, one that you establish before writing the essay. As you’re crafting the narrative, it’ll feed back into your motif to create a comprehensive picture of whatever that motif is.

For example, say you want to write a narrative essay about how your first day in high school helped you establish your identity. You might discuss events like trying to figure out where to sit in the cafeteria, having to describe yourself in five words as an icebreaker in your math class, or being unsure what to do during your lunch break because it’s no longer acceptable to go outside and play during lunch. All of those ideas feed back into the central motif of establishing your identity.

The important thing to remember is that while a narrative essay is typically told chronologically and intended to read like a story, it is not purely for entertainment value. A narrative essay delivers its theme by deliberately weaving the motifs through the events, scenes, and details. While a narrative essay may be entertaining, its primary purpose is to tell a complete story based on a central meaning.

Unlike other essay forms, it is totally okay—even expected—to use first-person narration in narrative essays. If you’re writing a story about yourself, it’s natural to refer to yourself within the essay. It’s also okay to use other perspectives, such as third- or even second-person, but that should only be done if it better serves your motif. Generally speaking, your narrative essay should be in first-person perspective.

Though your motif choices may feel at times like you’re making a point the way you would in an argumentative essay, a narrative essay’s goal is to tell a story, not convince the reader of anything. Your reader should be able to tell what your motif is from reading, but you don’t have to change their mind about anything. If they don’t understand the point you are making, you should consider strengthening the delivery of the events and descriptions that support your motif.

Narrative essays also share some features with analytical essays, in which you derive meaning from a book, film, or other media. But narrative essays work differently—you’re not trying to draw meaning from an existing text, but rather using an event you’ve experienced to convey meaning. In an analytical essay, you examine narrative, whereas in a narrative essay you create narrative.

The structure of a narrative essay is also a bit different than other essays. You’ll generally be getting your point across chronologically as opposed to grouping together specific arguments in paragraphs or sections. To return to the example of an essay discussing your first day of high school and how it impacted the shaping of your identity, it would be weird to put the events out of order, even if not knowing what to do after lunch feels like a stronger idea than choosing where to sit. Instead of organizing to deliver your information based on maximum impact, you’ll be telling your story as it happened, using concrete details to reinforce your theme.

body_fair

3 Great Narrative Essay Examples

One of the best ways to learn how to write a narrative essay is to look at a great narrative essay sample. Let’s take a look at some truly stellar narrative essay examples and dive into what exactly makes them work so well.

A Ticket to the Fair by David Foster Wallace

Today is Press Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, and I’m supposed to be at the fairgrounds by 9:00 A.M. to get my credentials. I imagine credentials to be a small white card in the band of a fedora. I’ve never been considered press before. My real interest in credentials is getting into rides and shows for free. I’m fresh in from the East Coast, for an East Coast magazine. Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish. I think they asked me to do this because I grew up here, just a couple hours’ drive from downstate Springfield. I never did go to the state fair, though—I pretty much topped out at the county fair level. Actually, I haven’t been back to Illinois for a long time, and I can’t say I’ve missed it.

Throughout this essay, David Foster Wallace recounts his experience as press at the Illinois State Fair. But it’s clear from this opening that he’s not just reporting on the events exactly as they happened—though that’s also true— but rather making a point about how the East Coast, where he lives and works, thinks about the Midwest.

In his opening paragraph, Wallace states that outright: “Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish.”

Not every motif needs to be stated this clearly , but in an essay as long as Wallace’s, particularly since the audience for such a piece may feel similarly and forget that such a large portion of the country exists, it’s important to make that point clear.

But Wallace doesn’t just rest on introducing his motif and telling the events exactly as they occurred from there. It’s clear that he selects events that remind us of that idea of East Coast cynicism , such as when he realizes that the Help Me Grow tent is standing on top of fake grass that is killing the real grass beneath, when he realizes the hypocrisy of craving a corn dog when faced with a real, suffering pig, when he’s upset for his friend even though he’s not the one being sexually harassed, and when he witnesses another East Coast person doing something he wouldn’t dare to do.

Wallace is literally telling the audience exactly what happened, complete with dates and timestamps for when each event occurred. But he’s also choosing those events with a purpose—he doesn’t focus on details that don’t serve his motif. That’s why he discusses the experiences of people, how the smells are unappealing to him, and how all the people he meets, in cowboy hats, overalls, or “black spandex that looks like cheesecake leotards,” feel almost alien to him.

All of these details feed back into the throughline of East Coast thinking that Wallace introduces in the first paragraph. He also refers back to it in the essay’s final paragraph, stating:

At last, an overarching theory blooms inside my head: megalopolitan East Coasters’ summer treats and breaks and literally ‘getaways,’ flights-from—from crowds, noise, heat, dirt, the stress of too many sensory choices….The East Coast existential treat is escape from confines and stimuli—quiet, rustic vistas that hold still, turn inward, turn away. Not so in the rural Midwest. Here you’re pretty much away all the time….Something in a Midwesterner sort of actuates , deep down, at a public event….The real spectacle that draws us here is us.

Throughout this journey, Wallace has tried to demonstrate how the East Coast thinks about the Midwest, ultimately concluding that they are captivated by the Midwest’s less stimuli-filled life, but that the real reason they are interested in events like the Illinois State Fair is that they are, in some ways, a means of looking at the East Coast in a new, estranging way.

The reason this works so well is that Wallace has carefully chosen his examples, outlined his motif and themes in the first paragraph, and eventually circled back to the original motif with a clearer understanding of his original point.

When outlining your own narrative essay, try to do the same. Start with a theme, build upon it with examples, and return to it in the end with an even deeper understanding of the original issue. You don’t need this much space to explore a theme, either—as we’ll see in the next example, a strong narrative essay can also be very short.

body_moth

Death of a Moth by Virginia Woolf

After a time, tired by his dancing apparently, he settled on the window ledge in the sun, and, the queer spectacle being at an end, I forgot about him. Then, looking up, my eye was caught by him. He was trying to resume his dancing, but seemed either so stiff or so awkward that he could only flutter to the bottom of the window-pane; and when he tried to fly across it he failed. Being intent on other matters I watched these futile attempts for a time without thinking, unconsciously waiting for him to resume his flight, as one waits for a machine, that has stopped momentarily, to start again without considering the reason of its failure. After perhaps a seventh attempt he slipped from the wooden ledge and fell, fluttering his wings, on to his back on the window sill. The helplessness of his attitude roused me. It flashed upon me that he was in difficulties; he could no longer raise himself; his legs struggled vainly. But, as I stretched out a pencil, meaning to help him to right himself, it came over me that the failure and awkwardness were the approach of death. I laid the pencil down again.

In this essay, Virginia Woolf explains her encounter with a dying moth. On surface level, this essay is just a recounting of an afternoon in which she watched a moth die—it’s even established in the title. But there’s more to it than that. Though Woolf does not begin her essay with as clear a motif as Wallace, it’s not hard to pick out the evidence she uses to support her point, which is that the experience of this moth is also the human experience.

In the title, Woolf tells us this essay is about death. But in the first paragraph, she seems to mostly be discussing life—the moth is “content with life,” people are working in the fields, and birds are flying. However, she mentions that it is mid-September and that the fields were being plowed. It’s autumn and it’s time for the harvest; the time of year in which many things die.

In this short essay, she chronicles the experience of watching a moth seemingly embody life, then die. Though this essay is literally about a moth, it’s also about a whole lot more than that. After all, moths aren’t the only things that die—Woolf is also reflecting on her own mortality, as well as the mortality of everything around her.

At its core, the essay discusses the push and pull of life and death, not in a way that’s necessarily sad, but in a way that is accepting of both. Woolf begins by setting up the transitional fall season, often associated with things coming to an end, and raises the ideas of pleasure, vitality, and pity.

At one point, Woolf tries to help the dying moth, but reconsiders, as it would interfere with the natural order of the world. The moth’s death is part of the natural order of the world, just like fall, just like her own eventual death.

All these themes are set up in the beginning and explored throughout the essay’s narrative. Though Woolf doesn’t directly state her theme, she reinforces it by choosing a small, isolated event—watching a moth die—and illustrating her point through details.

With this essay, we can see that you don’t need a big, weird, exciting event to discuss an important meaning. Woolf is able to explore complicated ideas in a short essay by being deliberate about what details she includes, just as you can be in your own essays.

body_baldwin

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

On the twenty-ninth of July, in 1943, my father died. On the same day, a few hours later, his last child was born. Over a month before this, while all our energies were concentrated in waiting for these events, there had been, in Detroit, one of the bloodiest race riots of the century. A few hours after my father’s funeral, while he lay in state in the undertaker’s chapel, a race riot broke out in Harlem. On the morning of the third of August, we drove my father to the graveyard through a wilderness of smashed plate glass.

Like Woolf, Baldwin does not lay out his themes in concrete terms—unlike Wallace, there’s no clear sentence that explains what he’ll be talking about. However, you can see the motifs quite clearly: death, fatherhood, struggle, and race.

Throughout the narrative essay, Baldwin discusses the circumstances of his father’s death, including his complicated relationship with his father. By introducing those motifs in the first paragraph, the reader understands that everything discussed in the essay will come back to those core ideas. When Baldwin talks about his experience with a white teacher taking an interest in him and his father’s resistance to that, he is also talking about race and his father’s death. When he talks about his father’s death, he is also talking about his views on race. When he talks about his encounters with segregation and racism, he is talking, in part, about his father.

Because his father was a hard, uncompromising man, Baldwin struggles to reconcile the knowledge that his father was right about many things with his desire to not let that hardness consume him, as well.

Baldwin doesn’t explicitly state any of this, but his writing so often touches on the same motifs that it becomes clear he wants us to think about all these ideas in conversation with one another.

At the end of the essay, Baldwin makes it more clear:

This fight begins, however, in the heart and it had now been laid to my charge to keep my own heart free of hatred and despair. This intimation made my heart heavy and, now that my father was irrecoverable, I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched his face for the answers which only the future would give me now.

Here, Baldwin ties together the themes and motifs into one clear statement: that he must continue to fight and recognize injustice, especially racial injustice, just as his father did. But unlike his father, he must do it beginning with himself—he must not let himself be closed off to the world as his father was. And yet, he still wishes he had his father for guidance, even as he establishes that he hopes to be a different man than his father.

In this essay, Baldwin loads the front of the essay with his motifs, and, through his narrative, weaves them together into a theme. In the end, he comes to a conclusion that connects all of those things together and leaves the reader with a lasting impression of completion—though the elements may have been initially disparate, in the end everything makes sense.

You can replicate this tactic of introducing seemingly unattached ideas and weaving them together in your own essays. By introducing those motifs, developing them throughout, and bringing them together in the end, you can demonstrate to your reader how all of them are related. However, it’s especially important to be sure that your motifs and clear and consistent throughout your essay so that the conclusion feels earned and consistent—if not, readers may feel mislead.

5 Key Tips for Writing Narrative Essays

Narrative essays can be a lot of fun to write since they’re so heavily based on creativity. But that can also feel intimidating—sometimes it’s easier to have strict guidelines than to have to make it all up yourself. Here are a few tips to keep your narrative essay feeling strong and fresh.

Develop Strong Motifs

Motifs are the foundation of a narrative essay . What are you trying to say? How can you say that using specific symbols or events? Those are your motifs.

In the same way that an argumentative essay’s body should support its thesis, the body of your narrative essay should include motifs that support your theme.

Try to avoid cliches, as these will feel tired to your readers. Instead of roses to symbolize love, try succulents. Instead of the ocean representing some vast, unknowable truth, try the depths of your brother’s bedroom. Keep your language and motifs fresh and your essay will be even stronger!

Use First-Person Perspective

In many essays, you’re expected to remove yourself so that your points stand on their own. Not so in a narrative essay—in this case, you want to make use of your own perspective.

Sometimes a different perspective can make your point even stronger. If you want someone to identify with your point of view, it may be tempting to choose a second-person perspective. However, be sure you really understand the function of second-person; it’s very easy to put a reader off if the narration isn’t expertly deployed.

If you want a little bit of distance, third-person perspective may be okay. But be careful—too much distance and your reader may feel like the narrative lacks truth.

That’s why first-person perspective is the standard. It keeps you, the writer, close to the narrative, reminding the reader that it really happened. And because you really know what happened and how, you’re free to inject your own opinion into the story without it detracting from your point, as it would in a different type of essay.

Stick to the Truth

Your essay should be true. However, this is a creative essay, and it’s okay to embellish a little. Rarely in life do we experience anything with a clear, concrete meaning the way somebody in a book might. If you flub the details a little, it’s okay—just don’t make them up entirely.

Also, nobody expects you to perfectly recall details that may have happened years ago. You may have to reconstruct dialog from your memory and your imagination. That’s okay, again, as long as you aren’t making it up entirely and assigning made-up statements to somebody.

Dialog is a powerful tool. A good conversation can add flavor and interest to a story, as we saw demonstrated in David Foster Wallace’s essay. As previously mentioned, it’s okay to flub it a little, especially because you’re likely writing about an experience you had without knowing that you’d be writing about it later.

However, don’t rely too much on it. Your narrative essay shouldn’t be told through people explaining things to one another; the motif comes through in the details. Dialog can be one of those details, but it shouldn’t be the only one.

Use Sensory Descriptions

Because a narrative essay is a story, you can use sensory details to make your writing more interesting. If you’re describing a particular experience, you can go into detail about things like taste, smell, and hearing in a way that you probably wouldn’t do in any other essay style.

These details can tie into your overall motifs and further your point. Woolf describes in great detail what she sees while watching the moth, giving us the sense that we, too, are watching the moth. In Wallace’s essay, he discusses the sights, sounds, and smells of the Illinois State Fair to help emphasize his point about its strangeness. And in Baldwin’s essay, he describes shattered glass as a “wilderness,” and uses the feelings of his body to describe his mental state.

All these descriptions anchor us not only in the story, but in the motifs and themes as well. One of the tools of a writer is making the reader feel as you felt, and sensory details help you achieve that.

What’s Next?

Looking to brush up on your essay-writing capabilities before the ACT? This guide to ACT English will walk you through some of the best strategies and practice questions to get you prepared!

Part of practicing for the ACT is ensuring your word choice and diction are on point. Check out this guide to some of the most common errors on the ACT English section to be sure that you're not making these common mistakes!

A solid understanding of English principles will help you make an effective point in a narrative essay, and you can get that understanding through taking a rigorous assortment of high school English classes !

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Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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  • How to write a narrative essay | Example & tips

How to Write a Narrative Essay | Example & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A narrative essay tells a story. In most cases, this is a story about a personal experience you had. This type of essay , along with the descriptive essay , allows you to get personal and creative, unlike most academic writing .

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Table of contents

What is a narrative essay for, choosing a topic, interactive example of a narrative essay, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about narrative essays.

When assigned a narrative essay, you might find yourself wondering: Why does my teacher want to hear this story? Topics for narrative essays can range from the important to the trivial. Usually the point is not so much the story itself, but the way you tell it.

A narrative essay is a way of testing your ability to tell a story in a clear and interesting way. You’re expected to think about where your story begins and ends, and how to convey it with eye-catching language and a satisfying pace.

These skills are quite different from those needed for formal academic writing. For instance, in a narrative essay the use of the first person (“I”) is encouraged, as is the use of figurative language, dialogue, and suspense.

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Narrative essay assignments vary widely in the amount of direction you’re given about your topic. You may be assigned quite a specific topic or choice of topics to work with.

  • Write a story about your first day of school.
  • Write a story about your favorite holiday destination.

You may also be given prompts that leave you a much wider choice of topic.

  • Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself.
  • Write about an achievement you are proud of. What did you accomplish, and how?

In these cases, you might have to think harder to decide what story you want to tell. The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to talk about a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

For example, a trip where everything went according to plan makes for a less interesting story than one where something unexpected happened that you then had to respond to. Choose an experience that might surprise the reader or teach them something.

Narrative essays in college applications

When applying for college , you might be asked to write a narrative essay that expresses something about your personal qualities.

For example, this application prompt from Common App requires you to respond with a narrative essay.

In this context, choose a story that is not only interesting but also expresses the qualities the prompt is looking for—here, resilience and the ability to learn from failure—and frame the story in a way that emphasizes these qualities.

An example of a short narrative essay, responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” is shown below.

Hover over different parts of the text to see how the structure works.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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See an example

narrative essay about a role model

If you’re not given much guidance on what your narrative essay should be about, consider the context and scope of the assignment. What kind of story is relevant, interesting, and possible to tell within the word count?

The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to reflect on a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

Don’t worry too much if your topic seems unoriginal. The point of a narrative essay is how you tell the story and the point you make with it, not the subject of the story itself.

Narrative essays are usually assigned as writing exercises at high school or in university composition classes. They may also form part of a university application.

When you are prompted to tell a story about your own life or experiences, a narrative essay is usually the right response.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write a Narrative Essay | Example & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved August 7, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/narrative-essay/

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