Vignettes
In the first chapter of The Five People You Meet in Heaven, the narrator introduces us to three snapshots of
Eddie’s lives. This artistic detailing of moments in Eddie’s life are also referred to as vignettes, or a detailed
descriptive narrative.
Like Eddie’s true love snapshot, you will set a scene in your life of a single moment. When you think of what
to include in a vignette, think of capturing the single image/moment caught by a photograph. You are
capturing that exact, precise moment … and nothing else! You are not developing a plot, rather delving into a
brief moment in time.
Characteristics of Vignettes:
1. ‘Show Not Tell’: ability to paint a picture with words.
Telling The room was vacant.
Showing The door opened with a resounding echo that seemed to fill the house. Cob webs once
attached flowed freely in the air as the open door brought light to a well worn floor. The
light gave notice to the peeling paint on the walls and to the silhouettes once covered by
pictures. The new air gave life to a stuffiness that entrapped the room. Faded and torn
white sheets covered once new furniture now drowning in dust.
2. Use of Literary Devices
Metaphor: comparison of two things, using the verb “be” - Charles is such a pig!
Simile: comparison of two things, using like or as – Sly as a fox.
Personification: giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects
(things, colors, qualities, or ideas) - The large rock refused to budge.
Anaphora: repeating a word or phrase for emphasis - I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I
heard many things in hell.
7. Sensory Details
Definition: using the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) to describe an image
The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening,
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,
And seeing that it was a soft October night,
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.
- excerpt from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot
Sample Vignette, ‘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.
Requirements for each of your vignettes:
You will craft three vignettes in total – a childhood, college and career. Each vignette must be at least 2 – 3
typed paragraphs long (approximately ½ to 1 full typed page). Your vignettes must demonstrate mastery
usage of word types, varying sentence structures and appropriate use of punctuation. Modeling Albom’s use
of sensory detail, or vivid imagery, you compose your vignettes using sensory details and familiar literary
devices.
Childhood: Choose a moment in your childhood that you can vividly remember.
College: Imagine yourself in college and a vivid memory that you might have.
Career: Imagine yourself in the career of your dreams; when this assignment is given, you will receive a
“wrench” scenario. This scenario will change the course of your career and you will craft a vignette that
immediately precedes or proceeds the “wrench”.
Childhood Memory Vignette
(Birth – Elementary School)
List at least 5 experiences that you could write about:
1.
______________________________________________________________________________
2.
______________________________________________________________________________
3.
______________________________________________________________________________
*Put a star next to three experiences that you would most like to write about
Vignette Rubric
Level 5
(A with honors)
Level 4
(A)
Level 3
(B)
Level 2
(C)
Level 1
(I)
Level 0
(I)
Understand and apply the
form and function of parts of
speech including: Adverbs,
nouns, adjectives, verbs and
pronouns
Applies a clear and
unmistakable understanding of
parts of speech – nouns,
adjectives, verbs, pronouns,
and adverbs – throughout the
vignette. Writer uses multiple
forms of word types
Applies a clear understanding
of parts of speech – nouns,
adjectives, verbs and pronouns
– throughout the vignette.
Writer uses multiple forms of
word types.
Applies basic understanding of
the parts of speech – nouns,
adjectives, verbs and pronoun –
throughout the vignette.
Writer uses standard/familiar
forms of word types
Applies basic understanding of
some of the parts of speech
throughout the vignette;
however demonstrates
misunderstandings in some
areas
Demonstrates
misunderstanding of ALL parts
of speech – noun, adjectives,
verbs, and pronouns
No
Evidence
Understand apply
punctuation including:
commas, colons, ellipses and
semi-colons
Incorporates advanced
punctuation; writers correctly
include dashes and semi-colons
– two powerful stylistic skills –
in their responses.
Appropriately incorporates
periods, commas and semicolons in writing
Appropriately incorporates
periods and commas; makes an
attempt to use semi-colons
Appropriately incorporates
periods, while demonstrating
difficulty in applying commas
and semi-colons
Incorporated periods and
commas with difficulty; did not
demonstrate understanding of
punctuation
No
Evidence
Identify and construct a
variety of sentence structures
including: simple, complex,
compound, compoundcomplex, phrases and clauses
Utilizes a variety of ALL
sentence structures and
includes concise writing as well
as sentences constructed in the
active –instead of passive –
voice
Utilizes a variety of ALL
sentence structures and may
use passive voice in some
sentences
Utilizes simple and compound
sentences, with a clear
understanding; attempts to
incorporate complex sentences,
phrases and clauses
Utilizes simple sentences,
phrases and clauses; compound
and complex sentences are
developed with some difficulty
Utilizes an excessive number of
run-on, fragment and
incomplete sentences.
No
Evidence
Identify and construct verb
usage in written
communication including:
Consistent verb tense,
subject-verb agreement and
parallel structure
Consistently identifies and
constructs verb usage in
written communication,
especially in transitioning
between present-day reflection
and flashback
Demonstrates and constructs
verb usage in written
communication in ALL areas –
consistent verb tense, subjectverb agreement and parallel
structure
Identifies and constructs verb
usage in written
communication with minimal
difficulty in one area –
consistent verb tense, subjectverb agreement and parallel
structure
Identifies and constructs verb
usage in written
communication with minimal
difficulty in more than one area
– consistent verb tense,
subject-verb agreement and
parallel structure
Sentence construction reflects
confusion or misunderstanding
in areas of consistent verb
tense, subject-verb agreement,
and/or parallel structure
No
Evidence
Identify and incorporate plot
structure in a text including:
Exposition, rising action,
climax, falling action and
resolution
Incorporates familiar plot
structure from beginning to end
and includes other plot devices
such as appropriate flashback
plot technique
Incorporates familiar plot
structure from beginning to
end; elements of plot structure
are clearly defined and
illustrated in a concise and fluid
work
Incorporates familiar plot
structure from beginning to
end; some confusion of
discriminating one plot
structure point
Incorporates familiar plot
structure from beginning to
end; some confusion of
discriminating a number of plot
structure points
Unable to follow plot
progression from beginning to
end
No
Evidence
Understand and incorporate
sensory detail and literary
details to demonstrate “show
not tell” writing technique
Fresh (uncommon) approach to
topic holds the reader’s
attention. Implements a
variety of literary devices to
develop storyline and utilizes
sensory details to illustrate
vignette snapshot.
Implements at least 3 different
literary devices and uses
sensory details throughout
vignette.
Implements familiar literary
devices in repetition
throughout the vignette and
uses at least 2 of the senses in a
demonstration of sensory detail
throughout vignette.
Attempts to implement literary
devices and sensory detail in
vignette but demonstrates
difficulty in one area.
Demonstrates
misunderstanding of literary
device and use of sensory
detail.
No
Evidence