from How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child
by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

​This passage is an excerpt from How Dare the Sun Rise.  This memoir is the inspiring true story of Sandra Uwiringyimana, a girl from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who tells the tale of how she survived a massacre, immigrated to America, and overcame her trauma through art and activism.

Essential Questions:
  • How does a writer's style and craft contribute to the development of the theme?
  • How can your own real experiences help you to develop a narrative text?
I was learning about shades of black in America, and about how your skin tone determines where you stand on the beauty scale. American's are so nutty about physical appearance and what defines beauty. Basically, the lighter skinned you are, and the smaller and straighter your nose is, the "prettier" you are.

I also began to understand why hair is such an important issue for African American women. I learned why the black girls in school didn't let their hair grow naturally, but instead always straightened or relaxed it. My black friends explained that since they werre already considered second tier to white women in the looks department, it was important not to have unruly hair. Black hair, in its natural state, is "nappy" and disorderly, they told me. They said, "You can't have your natural hair out." They said black women have to keep their hair tidy and straight, like white women, if they want to be taken seriously at work and in school. Again, I said, "What? This is crazy."

"Hairs" from The House on Mango Street
​by Sandra Cisneros


​This passage is an excerpt from The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.

Essential Questions:
  • How does a writer's style and craft contribute to the development of the theme?
  • How can your own real experiences help you to develop a narrative text?
vignette
 ~ a brief description that brings strong images, memories, or feelings to mind
​"Hairs" by Sandra Cisneros

        Everybody in our family has different hair. My Papa's hair is like a broom, all up in the air. And me, my hair is lazy. It never obeys barrettes or bands. Carlos' hair is thick and straight. He doesn't need to comb it. Nenny's hair is slippery--slides out of your hand. And Kiki, who is the youngest, has hair like fur.
       But my mother's hair, my mother's hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling and Papa snoring. The snoring, the rain, and Mama's hair that smells like bread.
Draft Examples
Create a 2-paragraph vignette telling your family "hairageous" or "hairror" story.
  • Use at least four family members: parents, grandparents, siblings, relatives
  • Use figurative language to make every one's hair come to life
  • ​Feel free to branch off to a different feature if you wish: eyes, nose, hands, teeth

​Check your style...
  • Does your draft mirror Cisneros's style and format?
  • Did you use similes, personification, and predicate adjectives?
  • Does your first paragraph contain descriptions of at least four family members?
  • Does your second paragraph place emphasis on one particular family member?