Final answer:
Mernissi shares her department store adventure in great detail to engage readers, allow for a deeper connection with her character, and provide insights into her personal growth and cultural understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mernissi's detailed narrative of her adventure in the department store serves a significant purpose in her essay. By telling the story in such detail, she allows readers to experience the event alongside her, creating a sense of immersion and deep understanding. This detailed storytelling contributes to the essay by demonstrating not only the factual events that occurred but also the emotions, thoughts, and personal growth she underwent as a result. Narrative essays, much like the one Mernissi composed, employ this technique to draw readers into the journey of the individual, making the experience vivid and the lessons learned palpable.
The detailed recounting of events fleshes out the characters, settings, and sensory experiences, thereby pushing readers to connect more personally with the story. For Mernissi, the department store experience was not just about the event itself but was a critical moment of self-discovery and cultural understanding, which she conveys through her vivid narrative. By focusing on specific details, she provides a deep look into her experiences, thoughts, and feelings that collectively contribute to the development of her character throughout the essay.