For the first major writing project of the semester, you will write a descriptive essay. This form of
essay tasks the writer with describing in full, vivid detail a person, place, thing, emotion, or
experience. The goal of exceptional description is for the reader to be able to fully realize the subject
of your writing in their own mind. If the reader cannot see your subject in clear, definite terms, then
you have not met the goal of your assignment.
In this essay, you will describe your best friend. In many respects, descriptive essays are creative
works in that they heavily rely on your imagination and your stylistic use of language that is specific
to you. However, you still need a thesis statement in your first paragraph, which should identify the
subject of your essay as well as why you are writing about this particular subject. In this case, your
essay might read something like this: “Jason has been my best friend of twenty-years, and his loyalty
is only second to his hard-working attitude and commitment to always have a good time.” In this
thesis statement, we learn that the subject is Jason, and that the essay will reveal in some way his
loyalty, work ethic, and fun personality.
Don’t forget to describe your best friend in physical terms, but also what makes this individual
special as a person. What is their personality like, and what draws him/her to you? What is
significant about your relationship to this person that makes them your #1 friend? Is there a way to
describe this person by utilizing all five of the senses? What about this person can evoke smell, taste,
and sound? Remember that this is not a narrative essay – the goal should not be to stay confined to an
anecdote about your friend. We want to be able to see this person, and know this person.
In terms of defining best friend, don’t assume that you have to write about a peer. Best friends can be
parents, grandparents, work colleagues, a mentor, or even someone who doesn’t know that they are
your best friend. Let go of the common depictions of who or what best friends are, and go for
describing the person that means the most to you in terms of your own understanding of friendship.
If you need a reference point, consider reviewing some of the stories and poetry we have read in
class. In particular, “Brokeback Mountain,” “The Cheater’s Guide to Love,” and “To Whom You
Love” are wonderful examples of how carefully crafted descriptions can render a character in a
familiar, three-dimensional way. Familiarity is a good goal for descriptive essays. You want your
reader to feel familiar with your subject matter, as if they have known him/her for years.
I would organize your descriptive essay in a traditional five-paragraph format. This will allow you to
introduce your subject, support your thesis with three body paragraphs, and create a definitive
conclusion paragraph. Like all papers in this class, you will use MLA format within your word
processor to create your document.
