Narrative Essay The Broken Spears Broken Spears Narrative
After reading The Broken Spears you will understand that the work is not intended to be an absolutely accurate reflection of the events during the colonization of Mexico, rather various accounts, utilizing different means in which the Nahua people were able to cope and survive through the events unfolding around them.
Create a character who is a member of either the
Nahua people or Spanish people and describe in detail the events taking place around you. Be sure to include specific details from the readings and expand upon your characters feelings surrounding the colonization of Nahua land, the treatment of Nahua people, and your observations regarding the conquistadors themselves.
One aspect I really encourage you to pay attention to is your character’s motivation for their actions. Over the past two years, this is an aspect that students seem to struggle with. So, always consider why your character is doing something.
As important as why the storyteller performs actions within the narrative is why they are relating their story in the first place. The format and audience of the narrative should be evident to your reader. Is this a letter, a diary, an oral retelling of events? And, the audience is critical because we certainly craft narratives based on who we are telling the story too. I certainly would frame a tale in a different way if I was telling it to my grandmother than I would to one of my friends.
Your narrative essay should be in standard paragraph form and should be at least three properly-formatted pages in order to receive credit. Remember to cite any direct references from the book. You should also provide a citation of details in the book that has helped in the creation of your characters. Remember to look to the syllabus for tips on writing a narrative essay.
As much as possible, try to keep your character’s motivations for what they do in line with the place you assign them in society.
