Genealogical Artifact Narrative

For my whole life, especially throughout my childhood, I have cherished the Christmas season and receiving presents. Each year, I would make several lists of everything I wanted. Every year, my expectations were met and I usually got everything I asked for. However, there was one year where I wanted something particularly special. When I was six-years-old, I asked for a stuffed teddy bear. I had never owned a stuffed bear before but I had always wanted one to be my friend. This particular Christmas, I constantly wrote down on my lists how much I wanted a teddy bear. My parents told me how hard they would try, but kept my anticipation high saying they couldn’t guarantee I would get it. On Christmas morning, I woke up bright and early anxious to see all of the presents. I walked down the stairs and saw all kinds of gifts scattered under the tree, but I didn’t see any teddy bear. Trying not act too disappointed, I put on a big smile and embraced the other presents. It was only moments later where I saw something hidden underneath a stack of gifts. At first I couldn’t tell exactly what it was, but then I realized it was indeed a brand new stuffed teddy bear. I immediately picked it up and hugged it tightly. It was the most amazing looking thing I had ever seen. The bear had two plastic eyes, a button nose, and a shoelace for a mouth. I could it had been made especially for me.

            I decided to name the bear Teddy. For a long time, Teddy and I were completely inseparable. We did everything and went everywhere together. I thought nothing would ever keep Teddy and I apart. As the years went by, things began to change. I was getting older and started to develop other interests. Stuffed animals turned into action figures, action figures turned into electronic devices. Teddy was still special to me, but our time together became shorter. It wasn’t until I was fourteen years old, when my family and I moved into a new house, where I realized I had lost Teddy. I searched all of our boxes and suitcases, but Teddy was nowhere to be found. At some point, I must’ve forgotten him somewhere and never went back to look for him. Even though I was obviously too old for Teddy, it still broke my heart knowing he was gone.

            Throughout the years, I have often thought about my long lost teddy bear and wonder what actually happened to him. It makes me sad to realize I accidentally abandoned one of my favorite presents ever. Teddy was and always will be a very special part of my childhood. I remember the joy he brought me and how he was constantly by my side. He helped me be a real kid by having fun and using my imagination, which has shaped me into the person I am now. Wherever he is at the moment, I’m sure he’s making someone just as happy as he made me. 

Artist’s Statement

            The narrative I wrote about my teddy bear from when I was a child was written in a certain way in order to make the story more relatable to the readers. One way I specifically structured the narrative was by writing it in the first person point of view. I decided to write from my own perspective because I believe it makes it easier for the readers to literally immerse themselves into the story. They can think about a similar experience to mine from when they were young. I figure most people have received some special gift at one point in their life that ultimately had a strong impact on them. It seems a majority of the greatest presents we get end up lost or stolen, which actually makes them even more precious. For me, I may never have fully appreciated Teddy or realized what that experience taught me had I not misplaced him. I learned how to take care of things that are meaningful to us and how we often don’t cherish what we have until it is gone. I also chose to include descriptive details as to what Teddy looked like in order to allow the reader develop a visual image in their mind as to what made this gift so dear to me. From the description, Teddy was not the most fancy or expensive stuffed animal. Instead, he was made out of basic household materials. I think the fact he was homemade caused Teddy to be even more special because he was made specifically for me and no one else.

            My story about this stuffed animal I had and lost as a kid relates to this week’s reading primarily because it touches on a personal experience centered on a certain item. The short stories we read were all about something only the narrator found special but were told in a way so that the reader could understand the purpose in sharing the experience. For example, in the story about the unknown keys, the writer took an object that would usually have no value to anyone and gave it depth and meaning. The keys represented a reminder of the author’s father as well as how he comes up with other stories. In the case of my narrative, Teddy was a symbol of my childhood. It was good, happy, and influential to my present and future. I didn’t necessarily lose my childhood, but I will not get those years back. They are in the past and I have to move on.

            We hear stories like mine all of the time. I feel novels that are considered personal narratives are the most similar. They normally refer to precise moments of their history, which had a great impact on them for the rest of their life. The readers may or may not have had the exact same experiences. However, the stories are told in a way so that the reader can understand why this moment is so precious to the narrator.