Here you can read our FREE Guide on ENG 101 Week 3 Discussion: Adding Description for Narrative.
Instructions of ENG 101 Week 3 Discussion
Overview
Due: Post your initial response by Wednesday night at 11:59 pm Pacific Time.
Respond to at least two of your fellow students’ posts by Sunday night at 11:59 pm Pacific Time.
Adding Description for Narrative
A black shadow dropped down into the circle. It was Bagheera the Black Panther, inky black all over, but with the panther markings showing up in certain lights like the pattern of watered silk.
Everybody knew Bagheera, and nobody cared to cross his path, for he was as cunning as Tabaqui, as bold as the wild buffalo, and as reckless as the wounded elephant.
But he had a voice as soft as wild honey dripping from a tree, and a skin softer than down. – Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Books
What comes to mind when you read the quote above? Does it paint a vivid picture in your mind? Does it allow you to feel transported to the jungle? This is the power of descriptive writing!
This week, to introduce the concepts of description, we will play a game! Pick your favorite food and write a few sentences passage describing it in detail.
Use all the senses to bring it to life! But, DON’T tell us what food you are describing! It will be up to your peers to guess!
This is meant to be an exercise to allow you to stretch your mind and think about how you would describe a food to someone who may never have tasted it before! Feel free to use metaphors, similes, or personification!
Response Posts: In addition to your original post, be sure to provide a meaningful response to at least two of your peers’ posts by the end of the week.
In your responses to your peers, provide your own constructive feedback that will help them to improve their writing. For example, what details about the dishes led you to your guess? What details need to be added to the description?
Select Reply to join the discussion. For grading details, select the three dots above [] to see the rubric.
Step-By-Step Guide ENG 101 Week 3 Discussion: Adding Description for Narrative
Recap
In last week’s assignment, we explored how to do Narrative writing by choosing one type of narrative writing. In this week, we will discuss how to ass description to a narrative writing.
Introduction to ENG 101 Week 3 Discussion
In the ENG 101 Week 3 Discussion: Adding Description for Narrative, we will explore the enchanting realm of descriptive writing inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s vivid portrayal in “The Jungle Books.” Our task will involve crafting a detailed description of our favorite food in a way that captures its essence without revealing its identity, challenging peers to guess what it is based on our description. This ENG 101 How-To Guide aims to refine your descriptive writing skills and enhance your ability to engage readers’ senses and emotions.
Understanding Descriptive Writing
Descriptive writing is a style that seeks to convey a deeper image of the subject through rich, sensory details. It allows the reader to visualize scenarios, smells, sounds, or tastes through words. As you prepare to write, think about how effectively Kipling uses language to bring Bagheera to life, making him not just seen but felt by the reader.
Pick your favorite food and write a few sentences passage describing it in detail. Use all the senses to bring it to life! But DON’T tell us what food you are describing! It will be up to your peers to guess! This is meant to be an exercise to stretch your mind and think about how you would describe a food to someone who may never have tasted it before! Feel free to use metaphors, similes, or personification!
Writing the Description of Your Favorite Food
To start the ENG 101 Week 3 Discussion: Adding Description for Narrative, we will focus on the below points and craft our discussion post.
Engaging the Senses
Visual: Describe the color, shape, and size. Imagine explaining it to someone who has never seen it before.
Olfactory (Smell): Convey how it smells before it’s tasted. Does it have a sweet, spicy, or savory aroma?
Gustatory (Taste): Talk about the taste without naming it. Is it salty or sweet? Does it leave a lingering aftertaste?
Tactile (Touch): Describe the texture. Is it smooth, crunchy, or creamy?
Auditory: Include any sound associated with it. Does it crunch, sizzle, or pop?
Utilizing Figurative Language
Use metaphors and similes to draw comparisons that help paint a more vivid picture. For example, “as sweet as nectar” or “crunchy like autumn leaves.”
Consider personification to bring the food to life. Perhaps it “dances on the tongue” or “whispers a promise of sweetness.”
Example
Nestled in my palm, the vibrant hues dance—a burst of yellow at its heart, bleeding into a fiery red that promises an adventure. It’s smaller than a baseball but fits perfectly in the curve of a hand, smooth and curvy, tapering slightly at the ends.
At first sniff, it emits a playful sweetness tease reminiscent of a warm summer day. It isn’t overwhelming but pleasantly subtle, like the whisper of a breeze through blooming orchards. As it splits open, the fragrance deepens, revealing hints of floral notes that tickle the nose, promising a taste of hidden delights.
The sweetness floods the palate upon the first bite, countered by a hint of tartness that sparks on the tongue. It’s a flavor that echoes the freshness of spring, a perfect balance that leaves a delicate, lingering aftertaste beckoning for another bite.
The texture celebrates contrasts: beneath the smooth, taut skin lies firm and yielding flesh. It offers a satisfying snap with each bite, a crispness that speaks of its freshness. The flesh is juicy as it produces, releasing its sweet nectar that coats the tongue in liquid sunshine.
As it’s eaten, it sings a symphony of soft crunches, as delightful as stepping on a thin layer of frost underfoot. It’s like nature’s candy, offering a feast for the taste buds and a serenade for the ears.
Peer Responses
When responding to your peers, aim to provide feedback that is both constructive and encouraging.
- Identify which sensory details helped you guess the food.
- Suggest what could be enhanced. Is there a sense they could describe more vividly?
Example
Response 01
Hey Max, great post! Your description vividly brings to life the fruit in your narrative, painting a beautiful picture of its appearance and taste. I have a strong feeling that the fruit you described is Apple. The metaphor of “a burst of yellow at its heart, bleeding into a fiery red” was particularly effective, giving a strong visual impression. However, your description could benefit from more sensory details about the smell.
Response 2
We are instructed to write two peer responses. I have solved one; you can now easily write your peer responses by considering this sample response.
Closing
Descriptive writing is a powerful tool for transporting readers to different settings and experiences. Through ENG 101 Week 3 Discussion: Adding Description for Narrative, you have practiced crafting vivid descriptions and engaged in a creative exchange of feedback with your peers. This How-To Guide is invaluable in honing your ability to observe and articulate the world precisely and evocatively. Keep experimenting with different descriptive techniques to continue improving your writing skills.
Precap
In the next ENG 101 Week 4 discussion, we will rewrite and then post the passage we wrote in ENG 101 Week 2 based on the feedback we received.
