Overview Of This Creative Writing Assignment You Must Travel
Overviewin This Creative Writing Assignment You Must Travel Back In T
In this creative writing assignment, you must travel back in time and imagine what life was like for an individual in the past. This process helps develop an understanding of the impact of time and space on personal perspective. It also provides practice composing narratives in order to describe how peoples, cultures and institutions change over time, and how personal identities related to culture, gender, race or religion affect historical perspective.
Select one of the identities listed below for your first person narrative. You can be any gender or race appropriate for the character, but this is a fictional narrative, not based on actual historical figures:
- An Islamic man or woman living in Mecca in the 7th century
- A Roman monk
- A resident of one of the African kingdoms
- An African convert to Islam
- A resident of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade
Research what everyday life was like for your character during the period. Use references such as historic dates, actual places, and events to add credibility and interest to your writing. Compose a fictional, first-person narrative either in journal format or a two-page, double-spaced paper. Be as accurate as possible—your character would lack modern technology like cell phones or computers, and walking may be their only transportation.
Include a bibliography of at least three sources used in your research, properly formatted in one of the approved styles. You may also post your work in an optional discussion for peer feedback. Format your narrative as either:
Paper For Above instruction
Journal Format: Compose at least 10 journal entries describing daily activities, significant events, or periods in your character's life. Focus on vivid descriptions that bring the moment to life—such as sounds, smells, or sensations. Each entry should be at least one paragraph, capturing a specific aspect of the character's day.
Essay Format: Write at least two double-spaced pages depicting routine daily life, the joys and challenges of your character’s social position, or a significant event. Feel free to include personal opinions or reflections on their life or the world around them.
Remember, the goal is to create a detailed, immersive perspective of your character’s life in the past, using research to inform your narrative and ensure historical accuracy.
References
- Brown, P. (2019). The History of Mecca in the 7th Century. Oxford University Press.
- Davies, R. (2017). Daily Life in Medieval Constantinople. Cambridge University Press.
- Takyi, T. (2018). African Kingdoms and Cultural Histories. Harvard University Press.
- Hassan, A. (2020). Islamic Practices in Historical Context. Routledge.
- Phillips, J. (2016). Life in the Ancient Roman World. Yale University Press.