Part I: The Final Draft

Write the final draft of your narrative below. Use the writing prompt as a checklist to be sure you have included all required elements:

Write a narrative with a plot that clearly follows one of the four main plot archetypes (the Initiation, the Journey, the Quest, or the Task).

You will use your best writing to create a story that

• clearly follows a plot archetype;

• includes a clear exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution;

• clearly uses at least two narrative techniques (dialogue, flashback, foreshadowing, juxtaposition, pacing, or sensory details);

• includes a clearly developed symbol;

• uses temporal words and phrases; and

• is 500 to 2,000 words in length.

Include the completed final draft of your narrative here. 

My Exposition

The crisp autumn air carried the scent of damp leaves as Mia walked home, kicking at stray pebbles on the sidewalk. The small suburban town was quiet, the once-vibrant trees shedding their golden and crimson leaves. It was the season of change—one Mia wasn’t ready for. Ever since her parents’ divorce, her home had felt different. Not broken, exactly, but fragmented. Her mother worked extra hours, exhausted and stretched thin, and Mia was expected to take care of her little brother, Sam.

But responsibility felt suffocating. She wasn’t the problem—her parents were. They had been the ones to break their family apart. Why should she be the one to hold it together?

Inside their small house, Sam sat on the couch, his stuffed toy tucked under his arm. He glanced at Mia, his big brown eyes filled with hope. “Can we play?”

Mia sighed, tossing her backpack onto the floor. “Not now, Sam.”

Sam’s shoulders slumped, and he turned away. Mia saw it—his quiet disappointment—but she ignored it, pushing away the nagging guilt. It wasn’t fair.

My Rising Action and Climax

Days passed, and Mia continued to distance herself. She spent more time with her friends, ignored chores, and pretended Sam wasn’t her problem. But one evening, that changed.

Sam was sick. He lay curled under a blanket, his forehead burning, his stuffed toy clutched tightly in his small hands. His cheeks were flushed, his breath uneven. Their mother was working late, meaning Mia was the only one there to take care of him.

She hesitated. This wasn’t supposed to be her job. But Sam whimpered, his fingers tightening around his toy. Mia swallowed her frustration and grabbed a washcloth, wetting it with cool water. She sat beside him and gently pressed it against his forehead.

Sam sighed at the relief, his grip loosening on the stuffed toy. “Thanks, Mia,” he mumbled.

She stayed with him longer than she expected, making sure he drank water, checking on him every few minutes. He fell asleep eventually, curled up and peaceful. Mia watched him for a while, something uneasy settled in her chest.

Maybe she had been too focused on herself.

A week later, she messed up again.

Mia lost track of time with her friends, laughing at a silly joke, the warmth of distraction wrapping around her. She had forgotten something important—but she didn’t remember until it was too late.

Sam.

Her stomach dropped. She rushed to his school, breath quick, heart pounding. Sam sat alone on the steps, his stuffed toy in his lap, staring at the ground. He looked small.

Mia froze when his eyes met hers. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. His disappointment hit her harder than any words ever could.

That night, their mother confronted her.

“I need you to step up, Mia,” she said, tired but firm. “Sam needs you.”

Mia didn’t argue. She didn’t have an excuse.

My Falling Action and Resolution

Falling action 

Lying in bed that night, Mia stared at the ceiling, memories flashing through her mind.

Her father lifting Sam high into the air, his laughter ringing through the house. Her mother’s soft hum as she cooked dinner, their family gathered around the table.

Back then, things had been simple. Easy. Whole.

But life had changed, and Mia had spent so much time avoiding the truth that she hadn’t realized something important—Sam had been relying on her. Even when she ignored him. Even when she made mistakes.

She hadn’t been ready for responsibility. But that didn’t mean she could keep running from it.

She took a deep breath, letting the realization settle. It was time to grow up.

Resolution 

The next few weeks were different. Mia still wasn’t perfect—she forgot things sometimes, still got frustrated—but she tried. She made sure Sam got to school on time, helped with his homework, and sat with him when he needed her.

Their bond grew stronger. She noticed it in the way Sam looked at her now—not just as his sister, but as someone he trusted.

His stuffed toy, once just an object in the background, had become something more. It represented their connection, their shared struggles, their moments of growth.

Things weren’t perfect. But they were better.

Mia had learned something important growing up wasn’t about being ready. It was about choosing to do the right thing, even when it was hard.

And she had chosen.

Part II: Reflection

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

Reflection Question

My Response

Which two narrative techniques (dialogue, flashback, foreshadowing, juxtaposition, pacing, sensory details) did you use in your writing?

I used dialogue to show the changing relationships between Mia, her mother, and Sam, and flashback to reveal Mia’s memories before the divorce, highlighting how much had changed and reinforcing her emotional growth

How did you use symbolism in your narrative? Include at least one symbol from your story and explain what it represents.

Sam’s stuffed toy symbolizes his innocence and the growing bond between him and Mia. At first, Mia sees it as just a comfort item, but as she steps into her role as a responsible sibling, the toy represents their strengthened connection and the progress they’ve made together.

What is the theme (or lesson learned) from your narrative? Use a complete sentence to explain.

The theme of the narrative is that maturity comes from accepting responsibility and prioritizing the needs of others, as Mia learns to embrace her role as a reliable older sibling and realizes the importance of family.