Requirements:

Question

Write as if you ARE the character using 1st person point of view.
Use chronological (time) order to retell the story.
Organize the 5 plot elements with 5 separate paragraphs.
Use MLA Format
Use correct grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and sentence structure.
Final Paper should be 1-2 pages in length.Brainstorming- Provide brief answers.
Highlight or underline the character whose point of view you will be using. Choose ONE.
The high school student The businessman
The glamorous woman
Why is the character you chose traveling?

How does the character react when the plane is struck by lightning?

What does the character think about when the plane is making an emergency landing?

What has the character learned as a result of this experience?

Narrative Essay Outline- Write in complete sentences.
A narrative is a spoken or written account of a series of connected events. People use personal narratives whenever they tell what happened. You will be telling this story as if you are a character from the story “A-Ha Moment.” Remember: Use 1st person pronouns (“I” & “me”) to speak as the character.

*Note: Do NOT copy the original wording of this story. That is considered plagiarism. You should maintain the same basic plot, but the way in which you tell it should be entirely new using the new characters' style and tone of voice. The best way to avoid plagiarism is to put away the original story while you’re writing your own.
Paragraph 1 - Exposition
Describe the setting on the plane and the reason “you” are traveling.
(2-3 sentences)

(“You” means that, as the writer, you are speaking as the character. Use 1st person pronouns- I, me, my.)

Paragraph 2 - Rising Action
Describe the emergency that happens & sets the scene.
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

How do “you” feel in this part of the story?
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

Paragraph 3 - Climax
Describe “your” reaction to the emergency.
What does the plane have to do?
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

What are “your” thoughts and feelings?
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

Extra Credit (Optional):
Create a flashback scene. What important event from the past do “you” think about as the plane is making an emergency landing? Use sensory language to describe the event.

Paragraph 4 - Falling Action
What happens at the end of the story?
What happens as a result of the climax?
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

How do “you” feel in this part of the story?
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

Paragraph 5 - Resolution
How do “you” choose to move on from this experience?
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

How did this experience impact “you”?
What did the “you” learn as a result of this experience?
(2-3 sentences- use 1st person- I, me, my)

I was in the tiny bathroom in the back of the plane when I felt the slamming
jolt, then the horrible swerve that threw me against the door.
“Oh, Lord,” I thought, “this is it!”
Somehow, I managed to unbolt the door and scramble out. The flight
attendants, already strapped in, waved wildly for me to sit down. As I lunged ahead
toward my seat, passengers looked up at me with the stricken expression of
creatures who know they are about to die.
“I think we got hit by lightning,” the girl in the seat next to mine said. She
was from a small town in east Texas, and this was only her second time on an
airplane. She had won a trip to England by competing in a high school geography
bee and was supposed to make a connecting flight when we landed in Newark. In
the next seat, at the window, sat a young businessman who had been confidently
working. Now he looked worried—something that really worries me: when
confident-looking businessmen look worried. The laptop was put away.
“Something’s not right,” he said.
The pilot’s voice came over the speaker. I heard vaguely through my fear,
“Engine number two...hit...emergency landing...New Orleans.”
When he was done, the voice of a flight attendant came on, reminding us of
the emergency procedures she had reviewed before takeoff. Of course, I never paid
attention to this drill, always figuring that if we ever got to the point where
we needed to use life jackets, I would have already died of terror. Now we began a
roller-coaster ride through the thunderclouds. I was ready to faint, but when I saw
the face of the girl next to me, I pulled myself together. I reached for her hand and
reassured her that we were going to make it.
“What a story you’re going to tell when you get home!” I said. “After this,
London’s going to seem like small potatoes.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she mumbled.

I wondered where I was getting my strength. Then I saw that my other hand
was tightly held by a ringed hand. Someone was comforting me—a glamorous
young woman across the aisle, the female equivalent of the confident businessman.
She must have seen how scared I was and reached over.
“I tell you,” she confided. “The problems I brought up on this plane with me
sure don’t seem real big right now.” I loved her southern drawl, her indiscriminate
use of perfume, her soulful squeezes. I was sure that even if I survived a plane
crash, I’d have a couple of broken fingers from all the T.L.C
“Are you okay?” she kept asking me.
Among the many feelings going through my head during those excruciating
20 minutes was pride—pride in how well everybody was behaving. No one
panicked. No one screamed.
As we jolted and screeched our way downward, I could hear small pockets
of soothing conversation everywhere. I thought of something I had heard a friend
say about the wonderful gift his dying father had given the family. He had died
peacefully, as if not to alarm any of them about an experience they would all have
to go through someday.
And then—yes!—we landed safely. Outside on the ground, attendants and
officials were waiting to transfer us to alternate flights. But we passengers clung
together. We chatted about the lives we now felt blessed to be living, as difficult or
rocky as they might be. The young businessman sighed that he had not had a
chance to buy his two girls a present. An older woman offered him her box of
expensive Lindt chocolates, still untouched, tied with a lovely bow. “I shouldn’t be
eating them anyhow,” she said.
My glamorous aisle mate took out her cell phone and passed it around to
anyone who wanted to make a call, or to hear the reassuring voice of a loved one.
There was someone I wanted to call. Back in Vermont, my husband was
anticipating my arrival late that night. He had been complaining that he wasn’t
getting to see very much of me because of my book tour. That’s why I had decided
to take this particular flight—oh, yes, those stories! I had planned to surprise him
by getting in a few days early. Now I just wanted him to know I was okay and on
my way. When my name was finally called to board my new flight, I felt a bit

tearful to be parting from people whose lives had so intensely, if for a moment,
touched mine.
Now, back on firm ground, walking down a Vermont road, I sometimes hear
an airplane and look up at that small, glinting, piece of metal. I remember the
passengers on that fateful, lucky flight and wish I could thank them for the many
acts of kindness I witnessed and received. I am indebted to my fellow passengers
and wish I could pay them back. Just then, remembering my aisle mate’s hand
clutching mine while I clutched the hand of the high school student, I was struck
by lightning all over again: The point is not to pay back kindness but to pass it on.

Answer 1

A Lightning Strike of Kindness

I was on a plane, nervously clutching my seat as we soared through the clouds. I was traveling for my book tour, a hectic schedule that took me across the country. Excitement tinged with anxiety bubbled within me, especially as I prepared for my surprise visit back to Vermont, where I intended to arrive early to see my husband. With the smell of coffee lingering in the cabin air, my mind raced through my itinerary while I peered out the window, taking in the world below.

Suddenly, my daydreams shattered when a blinding flash lit up the plane, followed by a bone-rattling jolt that sent fear crashing through my veins. “Oh, Lord,” I thought, “this is it!” I scrambled out of the tiny bathroom at the back of the plane, feeling disoriented. The flight attendants were already strapped in, frantically signaling for me to return to my seat. The terrified expressions of the other passengers sent panic spiraling through me. “I think we got hit by lightning,” the girl next to me whispered, concern etched on her young face. She was just as frightened as I was, but the fear reflecting off her brown eyes made me realize the gravity of the situation. Anxiety and dread constricted my chest as I listened to the pilot announce our emergency landing in New Orleans.

As we hurtled through the tumultuous clouds, I fought to keep my composure. My heart raced, and I could feel the deep thrum of fear resonating in my bones. The turbulence rocked us violently, tossing us about like rag dolls. At that moment, I desperately wished for calmness as panic clawed at me. I grasped the girl’s hand beside me, assuring her we would make it. Then, with my other hand, I felt the reassuring grip of a glamorous woman across the aisle who seemed to sense my fear. Her voice—soothing and comforting—seeped through my terror as she confided how trivial her problems seemed compared to our situation. I was amazed at her ability to draw me away from my clutches of fear, even as the plane continued its frightening descent.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally touched down safely in New Orleans. The whole cabin erupted in a mix of relief and disbelief, and I felt as if a boulder had been lifted off my chest. As I gathered my belongings, a comforting warmth filled my heart. We, the passengers who had faced a brush with death together, began to share stories of our lives and connect in ways I had never imagined. There was a sense of camaraderie among us, a bond that had formed out of fear and vulnerability. The young businessman who had been so worried earlier sighed deeply as we shared laughs, while the older woman offered him her untouched box of chocolates. Such acts of kindness were like rays of sunshine breaking through the dark clouds that had momentarily overshadowed us.

This experience changed me and how I view kindness. I realized that life is far too short to dwell on minor inconveniences; my priorities had shifted dramatically. Before, I had been so focused on the rush of my book tour that I nearly lost sight of the things that truly mattered—being there for people, cherishing my loved ones. As I departed for my new flight, I knew that I would carry these lessons into my life, inspired by the kindness I had received. I vowed to pay it forward, recognizing the importance of compassion and connection. With a newfound appreciation for the fragility of life, I began to look for opportunities to spread kindness, understanding that while this experience had shaken me, it had also lit the spark of gratitude in my heart that I would carry with me forever.

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Works Cited

No sources were referenced in the writing of this narrative.

Answer 2

no lovey dovey stuff please. also make the paragraphs shorter and please stick to the story please.

Answer 3

A Lightning Strike of Kindness

I was onboard a plane, heading to a book tour that would take me across the country. I was excited but nervous as I anticipated surprising my husband with an early arrival in Vermont. The cabin buzzed with the chatter of passengers, but my thoughts only raced toward what awaited me at home. That’s when an unexpected flash of lightning sliced through the sky, jolting the plane violently.

In that moment, fear gripped me as I stumbled out of the bathroom toward my seat. The plane rocked, and the expressions of my fellow passengers spoke volumes—they were terrified. Next to me, a young girl, likely on her second flight, could barely hold back her panic. I strained to hear the pilot’s voice over the din as he announced an emergency landing due to the lightning strike. My heart raced, and a chill crept up my spine.

As the plane continued its turbulent descent, I felt utterly helpless. I took the girl’s hand to reassure her, reminding us both that we were going to make it. It was then that I noticed a glamorous woman across the aisle had reached out to me. She offered her comfort with her steady grip and voice, indicating that not everything was as dire as it felt. While the turbulence threw us about, her calming presence provided a brief escape from the chaos surrounding us.

We finally landed, a sigh of collective relief echoing throughout the cabin. Once on solid ground, passengers shared their stories, relieved to have made it. My earlier anxiety morphed into gratitude as I witnessed kindness emerge from fear. The businessman next to me expressed regret for not buying gifts for his kids, and another passenger generously offered him her chocolates. It was a heartening sight in the aftermath of chaos.

This experience taught me valuable lessons about perspective and connection. I realized that the little things that usually stressed me were insignificant compared to the fragility of life. I vowed to carry this lesson forward, understanding the importance of kindness and human connection. Though the flight had thrown me into turmoil, it propelled me to appreciate and pass on the compassion I had received in that frightening moment.

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Works Cited

No sources were referenced in the writing of this narrative.