Phil Christman is a writer and instructor of writing at the University of Michigan. He is also the editor of the Michigan Review of Prisoner Creative Writing. Prior to teaching at the University of...

Phil Christman is a writer and instructor of writing at the University of Michigan. He is also the editor of the Michigan Review of Prisoner Creative Writing. Prior to teaching at the University of Michigan, Christman taught English composition at North Carolina Central University and served as Writing Coordinator at the Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, a program dedicated to helping minority students and other underrepresented populations prepare for graduate school. He earned a Masters in English Literature from Marquette University and an MFA in fiction from the University of South Carolina. Christman’s writing has appeared in The Christian Century, Paste, Books & Culture, and other publications. ► Genres: Reflection, Observation, Explaining Concepts

Before you read, think about the title of the essay. What do you think it will be about? What do you think the phrase “the burden of normality” might mean?

As you read, pay attention to how Christman’s essay opens and what your expectations as a reader are based on that opening. Then, consider where Christman takes you during the course of the essay, and finally where you end up. Are you surprised?