Essay

A Letter to Someone Who Has Harmed/Wronged You:

Write a letter to an individual (or larger institution) in your life (from any time or area) who has harmed or wronged you or your community, who left a profound impact on the way you feel or think or are. Identify yourself to this person and explain your purpose in writing (in order to address this violation or transgression). Use detailed examples and support to explain the effects caused by this person, and make connections to the person you are today (in what ways you have been impacted even up until now) and the community in which you live. Make clear what you want from this person or institution (if anything–perhaps you just want to be heard), and articulate in your conclusion your main, powerful statement (what it is really that you want this person/organization to hear from you).

If you write directly to an individual or institution, you will of course be writing in the second-person “you,” which is appropriate in this context because of its format (it’s a letter). Be sure, though, to maintain an appropriate, effective tone (consider carefully your word choice). If you prefer not to write to this individual directly, you could opt to write to a person directly involved in his/her life (current supervisor, spouse, children/family, or friend) or the larger institutional community. Your letter should also have clear paragraph divisions (like an essay) which flow cleanly from one idea to the next.

Be sure you have watched my instructional writing videos before beginning to draft (Paragraph and Essay Design and Tone in Writing, especially). We’ll also be examining prewriting techniques such as brainstorming and mapping next week! You shouldn’t need outside support for this assignment, but if you choose to go online, be sure to use proper MLA citation guidelines (and watch my Academic Integrity video).

Try to make this a meaningful exercise, not just for the purpose of a grade but to perhaps even process a past trauma or reexamine an old wound from a fresh, more experienced perspective. Writing is art is healing!

*TRIGGER WARNING: You are in no way obligated to delve into personal trauma if that would inflict further harm upon you. You have a choice in your topic, so please select carefully!

Here’s my model letter
for reference.