home alone descriptive essay

Favorite Movie: “Home Alone” by John Hughes Essay

Recently, I have watched one of the most famous American movies produced by John Hughes’ Home Alone . It is indeed an excellent family comedy because it evokes all sorts of nostalgia. Mainly, it reminded me of the childhood times when my parents would leave me alone, and I could do anything I wanted. Yet, I had mixed emotions being on my own in the empty apartment – I could sense weird noises coming from the middle of nowhere, or it was simply my imagination getting on my nerves. As far as the audience is concerned, Home Alone is a traditional Christmas comedy; yet, I assume one can watch it any time of year just to make a day better and recall Christmas family evenings.

The main character is a young boy named Kevin who is featured by Macaulay Culkin. The guy is celebrating Christmas with his family, which enlarges since all the relatives gather for this winter holiday. Kevin dislikes being surrounded by numerous kids who constantly tease him and dreams that his family would disappear one day (Hughes). When his dream comes true, and he finds himself in the empty apartment, Kevin starts doing every little thing his parent would forbid: he eats ice cream for breakfast, plays video games, and watches violent films. While he is enjoying his loneliness, Kevin’s parents realize they accidentally left their child at home before flying to Paris for a Christmas trip (Hughes). Yet, Kevin demonstrates himself as a young but increasingly responsible housekeeper and even protects his home from burglars.

To my mind, the actors chosen to perform each character have done a perfect job since they have managed to transmit their feelings, intentions, and emotions to the audience. Despite the fact that the film is primarily associated with Macaulay Culkin, the rest of the actors have contributed significantly to the movie’s atmosphere. Joe Pecsi deserves special attention since his acting was stunning and witty. What makes the film unique is the character’s personal traits – they are all different, at times, contradictory, but they make up a real movie family. In general, the actors performed at a high level, which made the film increasingly believable and indeed brought it to life.

Not solely the plot and acting make the movie atmospheric, but the scriptwriters, camera operators, and composer just did a fantastic job to entertain the audience. I believe the scenario was well-elaborated because, despite numerous events, there was no confusion between the scenes and the heroes. Moreover, the dialogues are just witty and hilarious; it almost felt like a comedy show even in the appalling moments. The filmmakers ingeniously used camera angles to set the tone in the film. For instance, a spectator could observe adult characters from Kevin’s perspective and vice versa. Besides, there is a beautiful background music theme throughout the whole movie. It is almost like a second character who leads the audience through the story.

In conclusion, I would restate my viewpoint that this film can surely lift one’s mood. Everything seems perfectly balanced in the story: characters, acting, music, editing, dialogues, and other details. Actors played a major role in transmitting a true Christmas atmosphere to the audience. I would recommend watching this classic of the genre to those who have not done it yet because it evokes pleasant childhood memories.

Home Alone . Directed by John Hughes, performance by Macaulay Culkin, Hughes Entertaiment, 1990.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, October 30). Favorite Movie: "Home Alone" by John Hughes. https://ivypanda.com/essays/favorite-movie-home-alone-by-john-hughes/

"Favorite Movie: "Home Alone" by John Hughes." IvyPanda , 30 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/favorite-movie-home-alone-by-john-hughes/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Favorite Movie: "Home Alone" by John Hughes'. 30 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Favorite Movie: "Home Alone" by John Hughes." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/favorite-movie-home-alone-by-john-hughes/.

1. IvyPanda . "Favorite Movie: "Home Alone" by John Hughes." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/favorite-movie-home-alone-by-john-hughes/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Favorite Movie: "Home Alone" by John Hughes." October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/favorite-movie-home-alone-by-john-hughes/.

• Ten Hours Act of 1847: History and Implications
• The Witty Worm Software Virus and How to Address It
• George Straight: Music Legend
• ‘Fast and the Furious’ Franchise by Todd McCarthy
• Obesity Problem in Medical Cardiology
• Promotional Strategy for a Chain of Fitness Centers
• Terrorism as Spectacle: Extremist Propaganda
• Kevin Chen at the Sepang International Circuit
• No Pain, No Gain: Kevin Chen’s Racing Career
• Film Analysis “Dances With Wolves” by Kevin Costner
• The Movie "Outsourced" by John Jeffcoat
• “Boyz n the Hood”: Movie Analysis
• Feminist Film Theory Overview
• A Case Study of “Bus 174 Film” by Felipe Lacerda
• The Five Forces of Oppression in "Philadelphia"

• Study Guides
• Homework Questions

Final Essay ~ Home Alone

• Arts & Humanities

Pioneering the Future of AI-Enhanced Storytelling

Revisiting a Christmas classic.

So, it's that time again.

Inspired by a text from Dramatica Story Expert Mike Wollaeger and the work I'm doing writing a family holiday feature, I recently revisited the storyform for Home Alone .

We analyzed the film as a collective group two years ago. Throughout several hundred posts, we eventually came to classify conflict in the Objective Story Throughline in the Mind Domain. In other words, we defined Home Alone as a story about prejudice—not a kid left by himself to defend his home over the holidays.

Story experts? Not quite.

The Growth of a Theory

So much is different with the Dramatica theory of story than where it was only a year ago. The Genre/Subgenre concept featured in Subtxt earlier this Spring identified close to one-hundred separate "Personalities" of story. The Relationship Story Throughline is now about a relationship —any relationship—regardless of whether or not it includes both Main and Obstacle Character.

Both advancements impact the initial analysis of this film .

The Personality of Story Structure

Home Alone's personality is Holiday Comedy. Put that into Subtxt, and you find the The Simpson's Christmas Special and The Santa Clause alongside Home Alone.

Neither finds the Objective Story Throughline in Mind. Neither features a Main Character Approach of Be-er.

In fact, if you asked me off the top of my head the storyform for an idea like Home Alone , I would quickly respond with the Objective Story in Universe and the Main Character in Physics —from a Genre context. This is where one finds the personality of the story structure. "Home alone" screams Universe, and Kevin slapping his face and learning to shop for himself begs for a Main Character Concern of Learning (itself found under the Domain of Physics).

This approach of looking to the personality first when defining structure is essential. Genre is not talked about much when it comes to analysis and Dramatica, and it should—the Domains literally set the stage for everything else that follows.

Using the Right Lens

So much of what we identify as problematic is at the base level of character. Motivational elements like Pursuit and Avoid, Faith, and Disbelief—these forces drive a narrative from the ground up.

But if you look closer at that bottom level, you will find fixed attitude-like elements in every domain: even the external ones like Universe.

And this was the source of our first misattribution error.

Scope and resolution are of the utmost importance when looking to identify the source of imbalance in a narrative. Knowledge, Thought, Ability, and Desire exist at every level. The question is: what exactly are you looking for when you look to what is problematic? Are you looking at the overall personality of the piece? Or are you seeing something much more granular?

Nasty fixed attitudes like those found in Home Alone could be classified under the Mind Domain— if you're looking at Genre. Doubt or 12 Angry Men possess that kind of structural identity. Likewise, an issue of Appraisal could easily be indicative of a problematic point-of-view—as could an issue of Analysis, which exists under the Physics Domain.

Read the definition of Analysis , Appraisal , or even Evaluation , and you would be hard-pressed to find a difference—unless you knew what you were looking for.

I've seen this come up numerous times in my work with hundreds of writers over the past four years. They ratchet it on one particular element or understanding, without taking into account the entire storyform and all its Storypoints.

More importantly, they don't take into account what all those Storypoints mean when placed together within the singular context of the story.

And I've seen it in myself as well.

That initial analysis led many astray when it came to understanding Dramatica—and getting it right is my sole purpose with both Narrative First and Subtxt.

All is not lost.

We were just focused on the particulars, rather than the Storymind as a whole.

Seeing the Right Source of Conflict

All the examples stated in the original analysis for why we thought the story was in the Mind Domain could just be as quickly defined as an Objective Story Problem of Evaluation —

—as seen within the Domain of Universe under an Issue of Attempt.

Calling Kevin out, mean and hurtful judgments, underestimating a child—those work better as instances of character motivation, not overall personality. Holiday Comedies are almost always about someone out of place with the seasonal spirit. Home Alone is no exception.

Our initial analysis found the Objective Story in Mind and the Main Character in Psychology. That's Hamlet territory. That's Amadeus and A Separation and When Marnie Was There . Not Home Alone.

Genre and Subgenre and Personality needs to be a part of the conversation during any analysis because sometimes we can get caught up seeing the forest for the trees. Yes, fixed attitudes could be driving conflict in a story—but is that really a Genre-level concern? Or is it something more fundamental to the drive of the story?

When the Pieces Fall into Place

Balancing Genre with this distinct narrative Element of Evaluation, we find Obstacle Character "Old Man" Marley in Conceiving . With Deficiency as an Issue. And Reduction as his Source of Drive .

What better way to describe an enigma now defined as a scary story—rather than a father estranged from his son? What better way to influence a child who focuses on the lack of what is there than an example of someone who suffers from the same?

The most important revelation of this new take, however, is the relationship between mother and the son—the real heart of Home Alone.

Getting to the Heart of a Story

With the previous assumption that the Relationship Story Throughline was always the "emotional battleground" between Main and Obstacle Character, we were forced to find some way to shoehorn a "neighbors" relationship between Kevin and Marley into the narrative structure.

Now, with the Relationship focused more accurately on the development and growth of an intimate bond between two, we quickly see the exploration of an inequitable bond in the mother/son relationship.

We see stubbornness in Mind . We see inconsiderate words in terms of Conscious. And we see Doubt in light of their bond ever heading in the right direction.

More importantly, we see Problem and Solution in the actual dialogue of the film:

I hope that you don't mean that. You'd feel pretty sad if you woke up tomorrow morning and you didn't have a family." "No I wouldn't" answers Kevin. "Then say it again. Maybe it will happen."

That's a Relationship Story Problem of Probability . Mother and son don't see eye-to-eye on what is most likely to happen.

Kevin is in his parent's bed under the red covers with his green robe lying across the bed. He awakes and sees that it is snowing. It's Christmas morning. "Mom!" shouts Kevin. Kevin runs down stairs calling for his mother, but she's not there. He is alone in the big empty house, and he is disappointed. He opens the front door and looks outside at the snow. He closes the door and goes back inside of the house.

That's a Relationship Story Solution of Possibility in the relationship.

And it's solidified when Mom impossibly shows up a few minutes later.

Major Plot Points and Context

Another thing not quite in sync with this new understanding is the Story Driver of Home Alone. Commonly referred to as the major Plot Points of a story, the Story Drivers signal a shift in concern to the Audience. Whether Actions driving decisions, or Decisions leading actions, these dynamic events mark new territory within a narrative.

Story Drivers and the Objective Story Throughline are tied together. When you switch the context from an internal fixed Domain (Mind) to an external fixed Domain (Universe), the context for why the Transits move from one concern to another switches as well. What worked in one context, no longer holds up under the new.

In addition, the Story Drivers drive the order of concerns within a narrative. A story driven by Actions will naturally follow a different path than that same story driven by Decisions.

With the Objective Story Throughline now in Universe, the Act order for the Relationship Story Throughline plays out like this when driven by Decisions:

• Act One: Memory
• Act Two: Preconscious
• Act Three: Subconscious
• Act Four: Conscious

Doesn’t quite feel right for the growth of the maternal relationship in Home Alone.

That same story now driven by Actions instead of Decisions:

• 1: Conscious
• 3: Preconscious
• 4: Subconscious

From we can’t stand each other (Conscious) to we love each other dearly (Subconscious), the Story Driver of Action simply makes more sense for Home Alone .

Emotional sense.

An Accurate Understanding of Narrative

As mentioned in my recent post about the living and breathing nature of what we do here is our own ability to Re-evaluate as story experts. Like Kevin, when we see things in a different light and are willing to re-appraise, we Learn differently.

That's why I suggest shifting to this new storyform , and recommend that both Genre and Subgenre become an essential part of any future analysis.

There is a precedent for this kind of thing. The official storyform for Terminator changed. As did The Sixth Sense . And Reservoir Dogs ). And Toy Story ).

The new official storyform for Home Alone corrects these original mistakes:

::premise Abandon listening to criticism and you can put someone's house in order. ::

Special Note: In the post above, I acted as if the Relationship Story Problem of Probability and the Relationship Story Solution of Possibility were absolute confirmation that this new Storyform was the real Storyform.

Making the changes into Subtxt , I discovered that the old storyform contained the same exact Problem and Solution for the Relationship Story Throughline.

Interesting that, intuitively, we felt those were the correct Elements in the initial analysis—we just assigned them to the wrong relationship. And even more strange that altering the classification of the Domains kept the same Elements.

Regardless, the more we understand what is going on, the more accurately we can assign these storyforms and apply the Dramatica theory of story.

This isn't dogma—we're not stuck in some dramatic Mind fixed attitude. We're on a fun adventure of discovery and enlightenment. We're learning how to approach narrative in a way that has never been done before throughout all of human history.

And that's pretty damn exciting.

Download the FREE e-book Never Trust a Hero

Don't miss out on the latest in narrative theory and storytelling with artificial intelligence. Subscribe to the Narrative First newsletter below and receive a link to download the 20-page e-book, Never Trust a Hero .

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors.

Now streaming on:

"Home Alone" is a splendid movie title because it evokes all sorts of scary nostalgia. Being left home alone, when you were a kid, meant hearing strange noises and being afraid to look in the basement - but it also meant doing all the things that grownups would tell you to stop doing, if they were there. Things like staying up to watch Johnny Carson, eating all the ice cream, and sleeping in your parents' bed.

"Home Alone" is about an 8-year-old hero who does all of those things, but unfortunately he also single-handedly stymies two house burglars by booby-trapping the house. And they're the kinds of traps that any 8-year-old could devise, if he had a budget of tens of thousands of dollars and the assistance of a crew of movie special effects people.

The movie's screenplay is by John Hughes , who sometimes shows a genius for remembering what it was like to be young. His best movies, such as " Sixteen Candles ," " The Breakfast Club ," " Ferris Bueller's Day Off " and " Planes, Trains and Automobiles ," find a way to be funny while still staying somewhere within the boundaries of remote plausibility. This time, he strays so far from his premise that the movie suffers.

If "Home Alone" had limited itself to the things that might possibly happen to a forgotten 8-year-old, I think I would have liked it more. What I didn't enjoy was the subplot involving the burglars ( Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern ), who are immediately spotted by little Kevin (Macaulay Culkin), and made the targets of his cleverness.

The movie opens in the Chicago suburbs with a houseful of people on the eve of a big family Christmas vacation in Paris. There are relatives and kids everywhere, and when the family oversleeps and has to race to the airport, Kevin is somehow overlooked in the shuffle. When he wakes up later that morning, the house is empty. So he makes the best of it.

A real kid would probably be more frightened than this movie character, and would probably cry. He might also try calling someone, or asking a neighbor for help. But in the contrived world of this movie, the only neighbor is an old coot who is rumored to be the Snow Shovel Murderer, and the phone doesn't work. When Kevin's parents discover they've forgotten him, they find it impossible to get anyone to follow through on their panicked calls - if anyone did so, the movie would be over.

The plot is so implausible that it makes it hard for us to really care about the plight of the kid. What works in the other direction, however, and almost carries the day, is the gifted performance by young Macaulay Culkin, as Kevin. Culkin is the little boy who co-starred with John Candy in " Uncle Buck ," and here he has to carry almost the whole movie. He has lots of challenging acting scenes, and he's up to them. I'm sure he got lots of help from director Chris Columbus , but he's got the stuff to begin with. He's such a confident and gifted little actor that I'd like to see him in a story I could care more about.

"Home Alone" isn't that story. When the burglars invade Kevin's home, they find themselves running a gamut of booby traps so elaborate they could have been concocted by Rube Goldberg - or by the berserk father in " Last House on the Left ." Because all plausibility is gone, we sit back, detached, to watch stunt men and special effects guys take over a movie that promised to be the kind of story audiences could identify with.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Matt Zoller Seitz

Brian Tallerico

Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in Two Pieces

Blood for Dust

Monica Castillo

Film Credits

Home Alone (1990)

103 minutes

Joe Pesci as Harry

Daniel Stern as Marv

Roberts Blossom as Marley

MacAulay Culkin as Kevin

John Heard as Peter

Catherine O'Hara as Kate

John Candy as Gus Polinski

• John Williams

Photographed by

• Julio Macat

Directed by

• Chris Columbus
• Raja Gosnell

Written and Produced by

• John Hughes

Latest blog posts

Speed Kills: On the 25th Anniversary of Go

Joanna Arnow Made Her BDSM Comedy for You

The Movies That Underwent Major Changes After Their Festival Premiere

Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives Is A Spinoff Stuck In Limbo

Home Alone Essay Questions

By chris columbus, essay questions.

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

Written by Polly Barbour

What does this film teach us about the importance of family?

When Kevin first wakes up on Christmas Eve, and finds himself alone in the house, he is overjoyed, because the night before he was sent to his room, he feels, quite unjustly, since both his brother and his cousins were baiting and teasing him, but he was the one blamed for the argument because of his retaliation. He feels resentful of his family and so is happy to find that he is on his own and can do whatever he likes.

However, after he finds Old Man Marley at church, watching his granddaughter sing in the choir, he begins to realize how important his family is to him because he sees the old man's loneliness and realizes that what he and the community had considered to be a sinister persona was in fact overwhelming sadness. He finds himself telling the old man to reconcile with his son because the father son relationship is so important. This makes Kevin realize that his bond with his father, and his family, is important as well.

Kevin begins to miss his family when he wakes up on Christmas morning, and is disappointed when he wakes up and is still alone; his joy when he hears his mother come through the doorway downstairs is unconfined. When the rest of his family arrive home their reunion is happy, and even Kevin and Buzz are happy to see each other because they realize that although their predominant role in life is to annoy each other, it comes from a place of love. When Kevin sees Marley and his son greeting each other outside of the old man's house, it again emphasizes that of all of the gifts exchanged during the Christmas season, the greatest is that of love and family.

Why are the burglars called the Wet Bandits? Why is this name so important to Marv?

The burglars are nicknamed the Wet Bandits by the media because they leave the water running in the homes that they burgle. This was, of course, a complete accident, as neither Hal nor Marv would have the forethought to actually create a persona intentionally, but now that an unwitting act of forgetfulness has spawned a nickname, Marv is proud and anxious to continue creating their public profile. To this end, he is beginning to be a liability as far as breaking into homes goes; he is far more preoccupied with finding a sink that he can overflow than he is with finding the good stuff to steal, or making a quick getaway. His public identity is becoming more important to Marv than his career as a criminal, because he can see fame and possible fortune, which is extremely attractive to him.

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.

Home Alone Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Home Alone is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Names of the characters.

The names of the characters who "go" on the trip include Peter McAllister (father), Kate McAllister (mother), Linnie, Buzz, and Megan.

Names of Kevin’s siblings

Essay Writing

I'm sorry, this is a short-answer literature forun designed for text specific questions. We are unable to assist students with writing assignments or essays.

Study Guide for Home Alone

Home Alone study guide contains a biography of Chris Columbus, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Home Alone
• Home Alone Summary
• Character List
• Director's Influence

Wikipedia Entries for Home Alone

• Introduction

Descriptive Essay

Definition of descriptive essay.

A descriptive essay , as the name implies, is a form of essay that describes something. In this genre , students are assigned the task of describing objects, things, places, experiences, persons, and situations. The students use sensory information to enable readers to use their five senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight to understand the topic of the essay.

Qualities of a Descriptive Essay

• Clear and Concise
• Use of Images
• Use of Five Senses

As far as clear and concise language is concerned, it is necessary to describe things precisely. Imagery is used to make things seem real and remarkable. The use of the five senses creates the imagery, or a mental picture, for each reader.

Difference Between a Description and a Descriptive Essay

A description could be just a paragraph, or it could be longer, as needed to fully describe the thing. However, a descriptive essay has five paragraphs. It is written in a coherent way with a good thesis statement at the end of the introduction , three body paragraphs , and a conclusion .

Examples of Descriptive Essays in Literature

Example #1:  the corner store (by eudora welty).

“Our Little Store rose right up from the sidewalk; standing in a street of family houses, it alone hadn’t any yard in front, any tree or flower bed. It was a plain frame building covered over with brick. Above the door, a little railed porch ran across on an upstairs level and four windows with shades were looking out. But I didn’t catch on to those. Running in out of the sun, you met what seemed total obscurity inside. There were almost tangible smells — licorice recently sucked in a child’s cheek, dill pickle brine1 that had leaked through a paper sack in a fresh trail across the wooden floor, ammonia-loaded ice that had been hoisted from wet croker sacks and slammed into the icebox with its sweet butter at the door, and perhaps the smell of still untrapped mice.”

This description of the “Little Store” is not only clear and concise, but also has images and sensory information about the store building.

Example #2: And the Orchestra Played On (by Joanne Lipman)

“The hinges creaked when I opened the decrepit case. I was greeted by a cascade of loose horsehair — my bow a victim of mites, the repairman later explained. It was pure agony to twist my fingers into position. But to my astonishment and that of my teenage children — who had never heard me play — I could still manage a sound. “It turned out, a few days later, that there were 100 people just like me. When I showed up at a local school for rehearsal, there they were: five decades worth of former students. There were doctors and accountants, engineers and college professors. There were people who hadn’t played in decades, sitting alongside professionals like Mr. K.’s daughter Melanie, now a violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. There were generations of music teachers.”

In the first paragraph of this descriptive excerpt, the author clearly describes the decrepit nature of the violin case, as well as the damage time has done to the bow. The second paragraph is a description of the characters , and their similarities.  Both use sensory information for effective descriptions.

Example #3: Yarn (by Koyoko Mori)

“The yellow mittens I made in seventh-grade home economics proved that I dreamed in color. For the unit on knitting, we were 1 supposed to turn in a pair of mittens. The two hands had to be precisely the same size so that when we held them together, palm to palm, no extra stitches would stick out from the thumb, the tip of the fingers, or the cuff. Somewhere between making the fourth and the fifth mitten to fulfill this requirement, I dreamed that the ball of yellow yarn in my bag had turned green. Chartreuse, leaf, Granny Smith, lime, neon, acid green. The brightness was electric. I woke up knowing that I was, once again, doomed for a D in home ec.”

See the use of colors in this paragraph by Koyoko Mori. This is called “pure description,” in that the description appeals to the senses. The use of word “brightness” in the last line is striking one.

Example #4: The Taj Mahal (by Salman Rushdie)

“And this, finally, is why the Taj Mahal must be seen: to remind us that the world is real, that the sound is truer than the echo, the original more forceful than its image in a mirror. The beauty of beautiful things is still able, in these image-saturated times, to transcend imitations. And the Taj Mahal is, beyond the power of words to say it, a lovely thing, perhaps the loveliest of things.”

Check this short description of the Taj Mahal by Salman Rushdie. This description presents a different picture of the Taj Mahal.

Function of Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay presents a person, place, or thing, in a way that readers feel as if it is in front of their eyes, or that they are tasting it, or that they can hear it, or that they can smell it. Writers use sensory information to describe object . The object of the writer is to present a picture of something as honestly as he can.

Related posts:

• Elements of an Essay
• Narrative Essay
• Definition Essay
• Types of Essay
• Analytical Essay
• Argumentative Essay
• Cause and Effect Essay
• Critical Essay
• Expository Essay
• Persuasive Essay
• Process Essay
• Explicatory Essay
• An Essay on Man: Epistle I
• Comparison and Contrast Essay

Post navigation

Essays About Home: Top 5 Examples and 7 Writing Prompts

Writing essays about home depicts familial encounters that influence our identity. Discover our guide with examples and prompts to assist you with your next essay.

The literal meaning of home is a place where you live. It’s also called a domicile where people permanently reside, but today, people have different definitions for it. A home is where we most feel comfortable. It’s a haven, a refuge that provides security and protects us without judgment. 

Parents or guardians do their best to make a home for their children. They strive to offer their kids a stable environment so they can grow into wonderful adults. Dissecting what a home needs to ensure a family member feels safe is a vital part of writing essays about home.

5 Essay Examples

1. the unique feeling of home by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 2. where i call home by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 3. a place i call home by anonymous on toppr.com, 4. the meaning of home by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 5. what makes a house a home for me by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 1. true meaning of home, 2. the difference between a home and a house, 3. homes and emotions, 4. making our house feel like home, 6. home as a vital part of our lives, 7. a home for a kid.

“Nowadays, as I moved out, the place feels alien since I spend the whole time in the house during my visits to my parents. They treat me like a guest in their home – in a good sense; they try to be attentive to me and induce dialogue since I stay there for a short time, and they want to extract the maximum of their need for interaction with me.”

In this essay, a visit to the author’s parents’ house made them realize the many things they missed. They also can’t help but compare it to their current home. The writer states family conflict as the reason for their moving out and realizes how fast they adapted to their new environment. 

Returning to their childhood home brings out mixed emotions as they ponder over the lasting influence of their past on their present personality. The author recognizes the importance of the experiences they carry wherever they go. In the end, the writer says that a home is anywhere they can belong to themselves and interact with those they hold dear. You might be interested in these essays about city life .

“The noteworthy places where I lived are the places I have made my home: where I can walk around with a birds’ nest on my head and a pair of old sweatpants in the middle of summer, where I can strip myself bear of superficial emotions…”

The essay starts with vivid descriptions of the author’s home, letting the reader feel like they are in the same place as the narrator. The author also considers their grandmother’s and friend’s houses his home and shares why they feel this way. 

“My home is important to me because for better or worse, it helps me belong. It makes me understand my place in time and connect with the world and the universe at large. Thus, I am grateful to have a place I can call home.”

In this essay, the author is straightforward in sharing the features of their home life, including where their house is located, who lives in it, and other specific details that make it a home. It’s an ancestral home with vintage furniture that stands strong despite age. 

The writer boasts of their unrestricted use of the rooms and how they love every part of it. However, their best memories are linked to the house’s terrace, where their family frequently spends time together.

Looking for more? Check out these essays about dream house .

“Home is a word that means a lot in the life of every person. For some, this is a place to come after hard work to relax and feel comfortable. For others, this is a kind of intermediate point from which they can set off towards adventure.”

A home is where a person spends most of their life, but in this essay, the writer explains that the definition varies per an individual’s outlook. Thus, the piece incorporates various definitions and concepts from other writers. One of them is Veronica Greenwood , who associates homes with a steaming bowl of ramen because both provide warmth, comfort, and tranquility. The author concludes by recognizing individuals’ ever-changing feelings and emotions and how these changes affect their perception of the concept of a home.

“It is where the soul is…  what makes my house a home is walking through the front door on a Friday evening after praying Zuhr prayer in the masjid and coming back to the aroma of freshly cooked delicious biryani in the kitchen because my mom knows it’s my favorite meal.”

This essay reflects on the factors that shape a house to become a home. These factors include providing security, happiness, and comfort. The author explains that routine household activities such as cooking at home, watching children, and playing games significantly contribute to how a home is created. In the end, the writer says that a house becomes a home when you produce special memories with the people you love.

7 Prompts for Essays About Home

The definition of a home varies depending on one’s perspective. Use this prompt to discuss what the word “home” means to you. Perhaps home is filled with memories, sentimental items, or cozy decor, or maybe home is simply where your family is. Write a personal essay with your experiences and add the fond memories you have with your family home.

Check out our guide on how to write a personal essay .

Home and house are two different terms with deeper meanings. However, they are used interchangeably in verbal and written communication. A house is defined as a structure existing in the physical sense. Meanwhile, a home is where people feel like they belong and are free to be themselves.

In your essay, compare and contrast these words and discuss if they have the same meaning or not. Add some fun to your writing by interviewing people to gather opinions on the difference between these two words.

The emotions that we associate with our home can be influenced by our upbringing. In this essay, discuss how your childhood shaped how you view your home and include the reasons why. Split this essay into sections, each new section describing a different memory in your house. Make sure to include personal experiences and examples to support your feelings.

For example, if you grew up in a home that you associate positive memories with, you will have a happy and peaceful association with your home. However, if your upbringing had many challenging and stressful times, you may have negative emotions tied to the home.

The people inside our home play a significant role in how a house becomes a home. Parents, siblings, and pets are only some of those that influence a home. In this prompt, write about the items in your home, the people, and the activities that have made your house a home.

Describe your home in detail to make the readers understand your home life. Talk about the physical characteristics of your house, what the people you live with make you feel, and what you look forward to every time you visit your home. You can also compare it to your current home. For example, you can focus your essay on the differences between your childhood home and the place you moved in to start your independent life.

Home is the one place we always go back to; even if we visit other places, our home is waiting for our return. In this prompt, provide relevant statistics about how much time a person spends at home and ensure to consider relevant factors such as their profession and age group. Using these statistics, explain the importance of a home to the general population, including the indications of homelessness.

There are 135,000 children adopted in the US each year. These children become orphans for various reasons and are adopted by their guardians to support and guide them through life. For this prompt, find statistics showing the number of unaccompanied and homeless children.

Then, write down the government programs and organizations that aim to help these kids. In the later part of your essay, you can discuss tips on how a foster family can make their foster kids feel at home. For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

View all posts

Home — Essay Samples — Life — House — What Does Home Mean to You

What Does Home Mean to You

• Categories: Hometown House Positive Psychology

About this sample

Words: 1251 |

Updated: 6 November, 2023

Words: 1251 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

“What I love most about my home is who I share it with.” “There is nothing more important than a good, safe, secure home.” “Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.”

You may also be interested Essay Fixer

Works Cited

• Bachelard, G. (1994). The Poetics of Space. Beacon Press.
• Boyd, H. W., & Ray, M. J. (Eds.). (2019). Home and Identity in Late Life: International Perspectives. Policy Press.
• Casey, E. S. (2000). Remembering: A Phenomenological Study. Indiana University Press.
• Clark, C., & Murrell, S. A. (Eds.). (2008). Laughter, Pain, and Wonder: Shakespeare's Comedies and the Audience in the Playhouse. University of Delaware Press.
• Heidegger, M. (2010). Building, Dwelling, Thinking. In Poetry, Language, Thought (pp. 145-161). Harper Perennial Modern Classics.
• Kusenbach, M. (2003). Street Phenomenology: The Go-Along as Ethnographic Research Tool. Ethnography, 4(3), 455-485.
• Moore, L. J. (2000). Space, Text, and Gender: An Anthropological Study of the Marakwet of Kenya. Routledge.
• Rapport, N., & Dawson, A. (Eds.). (1998). Migrants of Identity: Perceptions of Home in a World of Movement. Berg Publishers.
• Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books.
• Seamon, D. (Ed.). (2015). Place Attachment and Phenomenology: The Synergistic Dynamism of Place. Routledge.

Video Version

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life Psychology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 1585 words

3 pages / 1466 words

2 pages / 830 words

3 pages / 1485 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on House

Home, sweet home. Each one of us has the place, which brings back good memories, is the symbol of comfort and wellness, revokes memories related to music, objects, colors, people, and dishes. This place is called home. It is [...]

"Cavity wall insulation is method used to reduce heat loss through the walls filling the air space with material that inhibits heat transfer. Cavity walls are constructed in houses. It is an outside wall and an [...]

House could be a put where able to protect and it gives us a security from rain, warm storm, and more over to go. Everybody has their possess concept or choice on what sort of house they feel comfortable to live in for occasion [...]

Any house can be a home. To us, a house is a home that includes the pieces of community, family, memories, culture, and laughter. A home is a place where people help each other to overcome anxieties, find comfort through [...]

The term ’cladding’ refers to components that are attached to the primary structure of a building to form non-structural, external surfaces. Cladding is an exterior finishing system akin to a skin or an additional non-load [...]

There was this time when solar panels we meant only for buildings that provided for the energy consumption without having to borrow from power supply grids. The use of natural solar power to create energy is something that a lot [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

  Take 10% OFF— Expires in h m s Use code save10u during checkout.

Chat with us

• Live Chat Talk to a specialist
• Self-service options
• Search FAQs Fast answers, no waiting
• Ultius 101 New client? Click here
• Messenger  

International support numbers

For reference only, subject to Terms and Fair Use policies.

• How it Works

Learn more about us

• Future writers
• Explore further

Ultius Blog

How to write a descriptive essay.

Select network

Think of the last time you were completely captivated by a good story. What made it so enthralling? What caused it to take your attention from everything else? Most likely, it was the author’s use of descriptive language that helped you feel like you were actually a part of the story. You could probably imagine what it would have looked or felt like to be in each place the book described. Descriptive essays do much the same thing. They’re essays meant to engage the readers to paint a descriptive picture of the words on paper.

Let's say you are assigned to write a descriptive essay about a place, and you’re wondering where to begin. How do you make sure your essay is captivating, and passes with flying colors? In this blog, we’ll show you exactly how to write an all-star descriptive essay about a place, by covering the steps involved in writing, and the elements of how to write a great descriptive essay.

First, we will review the purpose of descriptive essays, then discuss why they are important, and we will end by sharing pro writing tips to help find the right words.

What are descriptive essays?

The goal of a descriptive essay is to be captivating, including sensory-oriented details of a person, place, experience, or object. Include this in your essay and the reader's imagination will go wherever is being described. These essays accomplish this by using vivid language, specific adjectives, and clear explanations so that the reader can personally relate. Descriptive essays are written so that readers can imagine and understand the feelings, sensations, visualizations, and sounds the author is describing.

Related how-to guide— How to write a narrative essay .

Why are descriptive essays important?

A detailed description helps readers empathize with your experience and, as an author, you can communicate this meaning. This is important because much of our academic and professional success depends on our ability to clearly, and specifically, communicate our experiences to others. We may not be writing a descriptive essay each time we communicate our experiences, but writing descriptive essays definitely strengthen our ability to convey specific details in compelling ways.

For example, writing a descriptive essay about a place can strengthen your ability to communicate your work expertise to your next potential employer; or to write your life experiences in a compelling way in your next scholarship essay (learn how to write a scholarship essay ).

Perhaps you’d like to write your own book some day or craft your own advertising campaigns using your business degree—both of which are more successful when the reader can empathize with your writing. You’ll use descriptive language to succeed at both!

Choosing a descriptive essay topic

Descriptive essays can be written about many topics. One of the most common assignments you may receive is to write a descriptive essay about a place. Here are a few descriptive writing example topics you might choose:

Who writes descriptive essays?

Being able to write well is a skill for any career you're pursuing whether it be business, arts, marketing, education, or even medicine!

Students in these areas will be assigned to write a descriptive essay at some point during their high school or undergraduate careers:

• Language arts students
• Literature and cultural studies students
• Social studies students
• Psychology students

Finding the right words for an engaging essay can be challenging. Plus, many students are pressed for time, juggling work, family, and extracurricular activities on top of trying to complete assignments. If you can identify, this blog will help get you started.

When your future career depends on it, you want to feel confident and proud of your work instead of overwhelmed by it. Practicing smart time management and finding the writing help you need, when you need it, is important.

Elements of a great descriptive essay

Before we dive into how to write a descriptive essay, let’s review some key elements that will help you paint a picture in writing:

Clear organization

Effective descriptive essays are clearly organized. In other words, the reader is able to easily understand why she or he is reading the essay, the place the essay will describe, and what the purpose of the description is. This is accomplished by organizing the essay into and introduction, body and conclusion.

Introduction: A captivating hook

The opening of your essay is one of the most important parts because it interests readers. Start with a captivating introductory paragraph. One way to do this is by using anecdotes to grab readers’ attention. Anecdotes are short stories that can be used literally or metaphorically to help readers relate to what you’re going to write about.

For example, an anecdote that opens an essay with descriptive words about what it’s like to be working in the middle of busy production factory might read:

“Imagine every appliance in your house is turned on—your vacuum cleaner, your blender, your fans—and imagine on top of all that, you hear airplanes and helicopters flying overhead and cars buzzing by outside. Meanwhile, you’re trying to focus on your tasks…”

This type of anecdote accomplishes two key things: First, it engages the reader and helps them personally relate to your essay by asking them to imagine. Second, it immediately clarifies the type of place you’re going to write about.

Build your essay with strong imagery. Capture the time, date, weather, and mood of the place.

The introduction paragraph should end by explaining the place the rest of the essay is going to describe and why. This includes any key setting logistics like time, specific location, and who’s involved.

Body: Full of specifics and adjectives

Anecdotes are also helpful in the body paragraphs of a descriptive essay, for the same reasons noted above. The body of a great descriptive essay about a place should be packed full of vivid, sensory language. During the body of a descriptive essay, the reader gains a clear image and understanding of the place being described, as if he or she were actually there. To accomplish this, the body paragraphs use descriptive adjectives and colorful phrases such as, “The chaotic, clashing noise was deafening,” or, “The scent of freshly fallen rain cleansed the sunlit air, and I could see the horizon for miles.”

Use one or two strong adjectives to convey descriptions in your sentences. This creates a flow throughout the entire essay. Be sure to note, not every sentence requires an adjective or adverb.

If you’re having trouble with finding adjectives and adverbs, use strong action verbs instead.

Conclusion: Reminding readers of the meaning

Just as the introduction of a descriptive essay previews what place will be written about and why, the conclusion reminds readers of what was just described and why it’s important. The key is to not sound redundant. For instance, while the introductory paragraph hooks readers and then tells them what they can expect to read, the conclusion summarizes what was written and leaves readers with thought-provoking ideas to consider, helping them to understand how the essay may relate to their lives, or why it’s important to the reader.

Revisiting the production factory introduction example, the same essay’s conclusion may summarize with a statement highlighting the essay’s takeaways, such as, “The chaos and noise of the factory made it difficult to focus, but after working there for five years, I learned how to overcome that challenge. Now I can focus in even the most noisy of places.”

Steps to writing a great descriptive essay

1) choose a topic.

Depending on the purpose of your descriptive essay assignment, you may have varying flexibility in terms of what place you can choose to write about. Nonetheless, try to choose a topic that vividly stands out in your memory. The more you can remember about a place and how it felt, the better your descriptive paper is likely to be. For example, if you’re assignment asks you to write about a place you’ve traveled to, what destination comes to mind first? Perhaps it’s a foreign country. Or, if you haven’t traveled much, it could even be a different town.

2) Observe the details

If you’re writing about a place you’re currently at or can easily visit, spend time observing the details. Watch what the scenery looks like, including colors and objects. What sounds do you hear? What’s the temperature? What scents do you notice? How do you feel being there? All these questions will help guide your descriptive flow writing process (step six).

If you’re writing about a place you visited in the past, ask yourself the same questions. Perhaps look at old photos to jog your memory. Finally, if you’re asked to describe a place you’ve never been, use your imagination to answer similar questions. The more time you take to list details about what your place feels like, the easier the next steps will be.

3) Understand why your place is important

Ask yourself why you think it is important to share this with your readers. Having a clear understanding of your essays’ importance will not only help you write your introduction and conclusion, but it will also help you stay focused on describing the details that matter most.

4) Outline and organize your writing

Now it’s time to begin the actual descriptive writing process by organizing your ideas into an outline . Your outline doesn’t have to be formal; just a simple numbered list of points to include in your introduction, body and conclusion will suffice. This will guide your writing process and keep you focused.

5) Start with the introduction

Remember step number one and three, “your topic ” and “why your place is important?” Those are the two main highlights you’ll want to make clear in your introductory paragraph. When writing your introduction, be sure it explains what you’re about to describe and why you’re going to write about it.

6) Write the body in free-flow style

The body paragraph of your essay can sometimes be the most difficult part, depending on length, a great way to start is by free-flow writing. This means that you simply start writing your detailed description of the place you’re writing about, without editing or analyzing as you write. This often helps to overcome writer’s block while making sure that all the critical details you jotted down in step two, “observe the details,” get down on paper and into the body of your essay. You’ll be able to go back later and edit the body of your paper for organization, flow and grammar. As long as you start your free-flow within the bullet points of the outline you created, the process will be relatively simple and easy.

7) Revise the body of your essay

Now it’s time to go back and be sure all the free-flow writing you just did is clear, makes sense and follows your original outline. You may need to re-arrange a few sentences or even paragraphs. This is also a great time to check for spelling and grammar errors.

Next, read the body paragraph of your essay and pretend you’re someone else reading it for the first time. How does it sound? Does it make sense and flow? If not, ask yourself what would make your descriptions more understandable for the reader. Finally, remember that not every sentence of your descriptive essay needs to sound fancy, artistic, or be long. Vary your sentence length, breaking up long sentences with short sentences to make reading easier. Use exciting language, but don’t over-do it or adjectives will lose their power.

8) Finish your essay strong

Writing a strong conclusion is key to leaving a lasting impression with your readers. A great way to conclude your descriptive essay about a place is to reiterate, in a new way, how the place you’re describing impacted you and why you believe it’s important. You can also describe what you hope readers may learn from your essay.

9) Proofread your work

You can never re-read your essay too many times. Proofread your work at least twice for spelling and grammar errors. It’s often helpful to read your writing out loud, since that slows the reading process and helps us catch errors we may otherwise overlook.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask a friend to proof your work. If you’re still stuck or need help, the writing center has tons of resources just for you like expert advice, essay examples, and more.

Final words of wisdom

Like what you read? Check out our guide on how to write a persuasive essay .

Discover more

Now you have all the information for how to write a descriptive essay. At Ultius, we offer great features that are unmatched by other competitor's platforms. Learn more about our writing services , browse various customer resources, buy essays and read informative content on our blog .

Stuck with writing?

Ultius can help

Ordering takes 5 minutes

https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/how-to-write-a-descriptive-essay-about-a-place.html

• Chicago Style

Ultius, Inc. "How to Write a Descriptive Essay." Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services. Ultius Blog, 30 Nov. 2018. https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/how-to-write-a-descriptive-essay-about-a-place.html

Copied to clipboard

Click here for more help with MLA citations.

Ultius, Inc. (2018, November 30). How to Write a Descriptive Essay. Retrieved from Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services, https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/how-to-write-a-descriptive-essay-about-a-place.html

Click here for more help with APA citations.

Ultius, Inc. "How to Write a Descriptive Essay." Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services. November 30, 2018 https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/how-to-write-a-descriptive-essay-about-a-place.html.

Click here for more help with CMS citations.

Click here for more help with Turabian citations.

Ultius is the trusted provider of content solutions and matches customers with highly qualified writers for sample writing, academic editing, and business writing. 

Tested Daily

Click to Verify

About The Author

This post was written by Ultius.

• Writer Options
• Custom Writing
• Business Documents
• Support Desk
• +1-800-405-2972
• Submit bug report
• A+ BBB Rating!

Ultius is the trusted provider of content solutions for consumers around the world. Connect with great American writers and get 24/7 support.

© 2024 Ultius, Inc.

• Refund & Cancellation Policy

Free Money For College!

Yeah. You read that right —We're giving away free scholarship money! Our next drawing will be held soon.

Our next winner will receive over $500 in funds. Funds can be used for tuition, books, housing, and/or other school expenses. Apply today for your chance to win!

* We will never share your email with third party advertisers or send you spam.

** By providing my email address, I am consenting to reasonable communications from Ultius regarding the promotion.

Past winner

• Name Samantha M.
• From Pepperdine University '22
• Studies Psychology
• Won $2,000.00
• Award SEED Scholarship
• Awarded Sep. 5, 2018

Thanks for filling that out.

Check your inbox for an email about the scholarship and how to apply.

IGCSE Descriptive Essay - The Abandoned house

Describe what happens and how you feel as you make your journey to shelter..

• Useful Links
• Advertise with us
• Institutions' Profiles
• Spoken English

ENGLISH ESSAY CLASS 6

A Day Alone at Home

When I was alone at home one day, I was more excited than being afraid. My parents had gone for an invitation and had left me behind as I was not keen in going with them. I was feeling free like a bird and very independent for the first time in my life. I had some snacks that my mother had prepared along with a glass of hot chocolate, which is my favourite. I then sank into the couch and began reading one of my favourite stories of the Hardy Boys. I read the story book for about an hour and then decided to take a break. It was around 6:30 p.m. by then. My favourite television programme would begin at 7:00 p.m.; although my mother instructed me on the 'dos and don'ts of watching television. Any way for about another two hours I would be the master of my life! I peeped out of the window. There was the full moon shining brightly on the streets. Some children were playing badminton on a cool wintry night. A cool and fresh gust of wind was blowing through the window. I went to the kitchen and then to the refrigerator to find something to munch on. Finding something to eat, I returned to the hall room where I became a couch potato and watched my favourite Television programme. It was around 7:30 p.m. and I was sitting comfortably on the couch, when the lights went off. It was a power cut. Suddenly I found myself in darkness. What bad luck, I thought to myself. I went to find the emergency light to get rid of the darkness around me. I was feeling a bit afraid in the dark, but was finding the whole episode more like some sort of an adventure. Suddenly I heard a loud 'thud' on the door. My heart skipped a beat. I nervously peeped through the keyhole, but could not see anyone. Then again another loud knock! I immediately phoned by neighbour on the first floor, who said he was coming in a moment. In the mean time I held myself together and decided to open the door. I opened the door and saw no one; but I thought I saw something crawl into the room. It looked like some sort of animal, may be one or two. I ran down to call my neighbour and was relieved to see him climbing up the stairs. We both entered the house and heard some chattering in the kitchen. We peeped in slowly and saw two creatures sitting on the table in the kitchen. They looked like monkeys and indeed they were. Not knowing what to do, we decided to alert the neighbourhood. By now the power was restored and the monkeys came running right at us. Immediately I pulled out a sack from the shelf and threw it on the animal. My neighbour was quick to pounce on it and quickly tied up the sack. The other monkey managed to escape from the window. These two monkeys were tormenting the neighbourhood for quite some time; and now we had caught one! My parents had returned by then and when they heard the whole episode, they were happy to see me safe and sound. They thanked my neighbour too. The next day the authorities from the zoo came and took the monkey away. People in my neighbourhood were now talking about my brave endeavour of trapping the monkey. I was now the hero of the town!

Essay Category

• General Essay Topics
• Back to your Class

Find your Way

• Our Services
• Privacy Policy
• Advertise with Us
• Service Providers

Help & Support

• Testimonials
• Essay Requests / Newsletter
• +91 94333 31596
• Arked Infotech 8J Ananda Palit Road Kolkata 700014
• Request an Essay
• Subscribe to Our Newsletter
• Contact Page

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

The night I was alone at home

• Word count: 1530
• Category: Home

A limited time offer! Get a custom sample essay written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed

The day wasn’t ordinary… It was extraordinary. The weather was awful and windy as if I was by the sea-side. I couldn’t see the road ahead of me as it was extremely hazy as if there was a snowy blizzard in front of my eyes. With the weather this bad, I somehow amazingly got home eventually.

As I entered the house, the hairs on my neck stood on end – something was wrong and I could feel it in my bones. I paused to listen into the darkness but I couldn’t quite work out what it was. I thought to myself “Forget it, you’re just being silly!” and made my way upstairs. As I was making my way upstairs I suddenly heard a loud noise as if something had dropped.

“Who’s there?” I squeaked as I got to the top of the stairs. Silence greeted my question as I heard nothing in response. As I tried looking around in the dark, I noticed the window at the top of the landing was wide open and the air freshener which was usually displayed on the window sill was lying on the floor.

“How did it get there and why on earth was my window open?” I asked myself. Maybe my Mum had forgotten to close it I tried reasoning myself as I pulled the window handle shut and putting the air freshener back in its place. I went to my room and laid on my bed for a while. As anxious as I was, funnily enough I was fast asleep within ten minutes without realizing what kind of nightmares lay ahead for me that night.

It was furry – a yellow hairy werewolf with eyes bright red and full of evil, sharp teeth with dripping blood from its mouth and it was just about ready to was ready to eat me alive. As he came closer I felt his smelly breath on my neck.. “Khrrrrrrrr” came the snarl..

That was when I suddenly woke up with a scream. A big gust of wind flew through my room and I realised it was my bedroom window which was wide open and the wind was gushing through. “How on Earth did that happen? I swear I just shut the other window earlier and this one was definitely shut?!”

I started questioning my own sanity.. “Was I going crazy? And forget that – was my dream real…? Or am I still dreaming?”

A moment later the clock struck midnight and the strange noises started. First it was the staircase creaking as if someone was walking on an old creaky floorboard. My heart skipped a beat and I yelped: “Mum is that you?” My Mum wasn’t supposed to be back from work until the following morning as she was doing the night shift that night at the hospital but maybe she had come home early..

Nobody answered and the wind blew past my curtains making them fly up. At this point I was still in my bed and somehow managed to gather strength and get to my light switch.

Click went the light switch.. but it was still dark though.. “It must be a power cut” I told myself. Or was it the creature I thought as my eyes ran over a yellow furry teddy in my room by the window.. I couldn’t help but think maybe someone had cut off the power supply.. but then why would someone do that to little old me??

The whole house was pitch-black and the only light coming inside the house was from the street lights in the street. I could hardly see anything but luckily I managed to feel the torch in my drawer. I switched it on and made my way downstairs to see if I could fix the electricity mains.

All of a sudden I saw a dark shadow rush by me and I felt a cold gust of wind going down my spine. “Hello, who’s there? This isn’t a joke anymore!” I shouted bravely.

My heart beat couldn’t help but start to increase rapidly. I started to take deeper breaths and my hands were shaking. I heard a disturbing and creepy voice and then out of nowhere, an echoing: “ha haaaa haaa haaaa haa haaaaaaaaaa”. It seemed the voice was echoing but I couldn’t say where the voice was coming from which was confusing and scaring me even more.

Then I heard a woman’s scream out of nowhere: “Helpppppppppp!!!”

The voice sounded familiar. Could it possibly be my mothers scream?! I ran into the living room where the scream came from. And that’s when my whole life changed. I saw my mother hanging from the ceiling like from one of those horror films! I couldn’t even scream as if I had no voice. The torch dropped out of my hand and I stood as still as a statue staring at my mother. Her mouth was frozen open as if she had tried to warn someone of something but didn’t get the chance to finish.

I couldn’t go on like this so screamed: “Why don’t you kill me as well, why don’t you?!” and as the words came out of my mouth, tears came through my eyes. I picked up my torch and started to run towards the front door. It seemed the corridor kept getting longer and longer. I was running and running and it felt like miles.

Was my mind playing tricks with me? Was I going crazy? And then out of nowhere, again I heard the screeching voice. But this time there was an even scarier thing to be scared about: The voice said: “The time has come to end for you. You run but you can’t hide mwaahahahahaaa………”

I could feel some thing behind me and that’s… when… I… met… it… face to face!

It had its red eyes gazing at me, razor-sharp teeth and blood dripping out of its mouth.

On one side of its face you could see its flesh like someone had peeled off the skin with a potato peeler. It came closer towards me with its mouth open and I froze, now knowing what to do. I was panicking and I suddenly reached for the necklace around my neck. It had a metal cross on it and the first thing I could think of was to scare off this beast so I thrust the cross towards the beast. The next thing I knew; blood started to squirt everywhere; I had stabbed him in the eye!

I didn’t wait around to see what happened next so I quickly turned around ready to run out the house… as I turned my back to see how close he was to me, I could see he wasn’t there. He has vanished into thin air within a blink of an eye.

Just when I thought I was OK and would be able to get away I felt something fall against me outside of the under-stair storage cupboard… it was my father – with blood all over his shirt and a knife sticking out from his stomach. I tried screaming but nothing came out of my mouth… No matter what I would try to do I knew I wouldn’t be able to escape this beast now! Nothing but prayer could help me now.

Abruptly I felt a cold grasp around my hand. I was trying to scream for help, but again no sound came out. “Son save your self, get away!!” my Dad whispered next to my ear as he took his last breath.

Suddenly the hallway started to get blurry and it seemed to lengthen again. “What in heaven’s name is happening to me…?” I thought as I saw a wave of blood rushing through the kitchen on my left side. Before I even had the chance of thinking of running away the wave got to me and struck me out cold.

That’s all I could remember from the nightmare as the sun streamed through my closed window. “Where am I? Am I in heaven?!” I asked myself in a croaky voice. My vision got clearer as my mind freshened and I could finally figure out that I was back in my room.

How could last night be possible? Was it all a dream or had it really happened? I heard the familiar rustling from the kitchen and guessed it was my Mum cooking breakfast for me.. I felt a sense of relief washing over me – “It probably was a bad dream after all then!” I reassured myself.

Relieved, I reached for a glass of water and as I drank from my glass, I felt something dripping – on top of my head. I put my hand on my hair thinking it was water somehow but it only took me a moment to bring back my hand to see it covered in blood.

As a shadow fell over me I felt something move in my doorway.. I looked up quickly and felt my heart drop as I realised what it was. It was the creature from my nightmare which meant my nightmare wasn’t actually a nightmare but reality after all.. And that meant the time for me had come to an end as well.. “God, help meeeeeeeeeeeeeee……….!!!!” I screamed as my last words echoed in my empty house.

Related Topics

We can write a custom essay

According to Your Specific Requirements

Sorry, but copying text is forbidden on this website. If you need this or any other sample, we can send it to you via email.

Copying is only available for logged-in users

If you need this sample for free, we can send it to you via email

By clicking "SEND", you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We'll occasionally send you account related and promo emails.

We have received your request for getting a sample. Please choose the access option you need:

With a 24-hour delay (you will have to wait for 24 hours) due to heavy workload and high demand - for free

Choose an optimal rate and be sure to get the unlimited number of samples immediately without having to wait in the waiting list

3 Hours Waiting For Unregistered user

Using our plagiarism checker for free you will receive the requested result within 3 hours directly to your email

Jump the queue with a membership plan, get unlimited samples and plagiarism results – immediately!

We have received your request for getting a sample

Only the users having paid subscription get the unlimited number of samples immediately.

How about getting this access immediately?

Or if you need this sample for free, we can send it to you via email.

Your membership has been canceled.

Your Answer Is Very Helpful For Us Thank You A Lot!

Emma Taylor

Hi there! Would you like to get such a paper? How about getting a customized one?

Get access to our huge, continuously updated knowledge base

My Home Essay

500 words on my home essay.

A home is a place that gives comfort to everyone. It is because a home is filled with love and life. Much like every lucky person, I also have a home and a loving family. Through My Home Essay, I will take you through what my home is like and how much it means to me.

A Place I Call Home

My home is situated in the city. It is not too big nor too small, just the perfect size. My family lives in the home. It comprises of my father, mother, sister and grandparents. We live in our ancestral home so my home is very vintage.

It is very old but remains to be super strong. There are six rooms in my home. Each family member has a unique room which they have decorated as per their liking. For instance, my elder sister is a big fan of music, so her walls are filled with posters of musicians like BTS, RM, and more.

Our drawing room is a large one with a high ceiling. We still use the vintage sofa set which my grandmother got as a wedding gift. Similarly, there is a vintage TV and radio which she uses till date.

Adjoining the drawing room is my bedroom. It is my favourite room because it contains everything that I love. I have a pet guinea pig which lives in a cage in my room. We also have a storeroom which is filled with things we don’t use but also cannot discard.

Our lawn in front of the house has a little garden. In that garden , my mother is growing her own kitchen garden. She is passionate about it and brings different seeds every month to grow them out and use them in our food.

The fondest memories I have in a place is my terrace. Our terrace is huge with many plants. I remember all the good times we have spent there as a family. Moreover, we play there a lot when my cousins come over. Thus, every nook and corner of my home is special to me.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Appreciation Towards My Home

I know a lot of people who do not have homes or not as big as mine. It makes me more grateful and appreciates my home more. Not everyone gets the fortune to have a good home and a loving family, but luckily, I have been blessed with both.

I am thankful for my home because when I grow up, I can look back at the wonderful memories I made here. The walk down the memory lane will be a sweet one because of the safety and security my home has given me. It is indeed an ideal home.

Conclusion of My Home Essay

My home is important to me because for better or worse, it helps me belong. It makes me understand my place in time and connect with the world and the universe at large. Thus, I am grateful to have a place I can call home.

FAQ on My Home Essay

Question 1: What is the importance of a home?

Answer 1: Home offers us security, belonging and privacy in addition to other essential things. Most importantly, it gives us a place with a centring where we leave every morning and long to return every night .

Question 2: Why is home important to a family?

Answer 2: A home signifies a lot more than a house. It is because we find comfort in our home as it contains memories and a place where our bonds strengthen. It is where we get plenty of benefits.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Gustavo Almeida Correia

Is buying essays online safe?

Shopping through online platforms is a highly controversial issue. Naturally, you cannot be completely sure when placing an order through an unfamiliar site, with which you have never cooperated. That is why we recommend that people contact trusted companies that have hundreds of positive reviews.

As for buying essays through sites, then you need to be as careful as possible and carefully check every detail. Read company reviews on third-party sources or ask a question on the forum. Check out the guarantees given by the specialists and discuss cooperation with the company manager. Do not transfer money to someone else's account until they send you a document with an essay for review.

Good online platforms provide certificates and some personal data so that the client can have the necessary information about the service manual. Service employees should immediately calculate the cost of the order for you and in the process of work are not entitled to add a percentage to this amount, if you do not make additional edits and preferences.