A Narrative: Bigfoot
Read the following narrative paragraph. Answer each question by writing a response in the text box. After you complete the exercise, click on Email to email your work to your instructor, or click on Print to print a copy of your work.

Bigfoot
Most people laugh at the idea that a Bigfoot roams the rugged Northwest mountains, but I hesitate to laugh. Ten years ago, I went bow hunting for deer. My friends dropped me off at one of the four corners of the area that we were going to comb. The idea was that we would beat the brush and walk toward the center of the land that we had plotted. We would force the deer to move to the center, which was an open field. I beat the brush and made steady progress. Then I heard loud breaking of branches. I thought one of my friends was trying to scare me. When no one responded to my calls, I got scared. Horrid thoughts raced through my mind. I pictured myself getting beaten up or abducted by a stranger. For my own safety, I crouched behind some bushes. Looking through the low-lying brush, I saw two enormous, thick, black, furry legs scrambling through the brush and stomping everything in sight. My heart pounded so fast that I could not breathe. I froze. I did not dare stick my head up to see what kind of animal had such enormous stride or power. Worried that I had not shown up in the center, my hunting buddies came looking for me. They called my name, but I still was too frightened to respond. They finally found me crouched in the bushes and shaking uncontrollably. I told them what happened. Together we gawked at the path of broken limbs and puzzled over the distance between each section of crushed brush. In unison, our eyes widened in disbelief, and we hollered our lungs out as we ran for the main logging road. Our interest in deer hunting waned. We retreated willingly from this rugged terrain, the roaming ground of Bigfoot or some unknown creature.

1. The first sentence is the topic sentence: Most people laugh at the idea that a Bigfoot roams the rugged Northwest mountains, but I hesitate to laugh. Is this an effective topic sentence for a narrative? Explain your answer.




2. The last sentence is the concluding sentence: We retreated willingly from this rugged terrain, the roaming ground of Bigfoot or some unknown creature. Is this an effective concluding sentence for this paragraph? Explain your answer.




3. Does this paragraph have unity? Explain.




Ten years ago, I went bow hunting for deer. My friends dropped me off at one of the four corners of the area that we were going to comb. The idea was that we would beat the brush and walk toward the center of the land that we had plotted. We would force the deer to move to the center, which was an open field. I beat the brush and made steady progress. Then I heard loud breaking of branches. I thought one of my friends was trying to scare me.

4. The writer gives background information before the main action of the narrative begins. In the text box, write the sentence from the following excerpt that begins the main action of the narrative.




5. Is the setting in this narrative specific? Explain your answer.




6. What emotional response do you think the reader wanted to evoke in you? Was the writer successful? Explain your answer.




7. What techniques does the writer use to capture your interest and move the action along quickly?





Horrid thoughts raced through my mind. I pictured myself getting beaten up or abducted by a stranger. For my own safety, I crouched behind some bushes. Looking through the low-lying brush, I saw two enormous, thick, black, furry legs scrambling through the brush and stomping everything in sight. My heart pounded so fast that I could not breathe. I froze. I did not dare stick my head up to see what kind of animal had such enormous stride or power.

8. Effective word choice in a narrative is important. Which words from the following excerpt created a vivid image in your mind?