Sometimes in our lives, the words of another person, even someone unknown to us, can provide us with guidance, hope, understanding, or enlightenment. They can give us comfort in our darkest moments. Using Carolina Hospital's essay "My Cuban Body" and Jesus Colon's "Kipling and I" as examples of this, think about an experience or condition in your life which shaped you. How did some sort of outside inspiration help you through this time, change your outlook, shape your perspective, or alter your experience?

Write an essay of at least five paragraphs in which you describe a situation or experience which changed you and analyze how the words or work of another person helped effect this change. Use the techniques of narrative to tell your story. Use the techniques of argument to prove how or why this outside influence was so important. Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Use correct MLA format. Be sure to reference the author and title of the work you are including in your introductory paragraph, in correct MLA format.

Your essay must contain:

1. An introduction which reveals the work you will refer to in correct MLA format

2. A thesis statement which is both debatable and specific, which establishes an argument you will prove through your essay

3. Body paragraphs which support the thesis using: narrative technique to tell the story, details, examples, analysis, and explanation of the value of the outside work you are using

4. A clear, insightful conclusion which provides original and unique perspective on your topic

5. Unified and correct sentence structure free of fragments, run ons, and comma splices

6. Consistent verb tenses throughout

7. Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.