A. Why do we write narratives?
In a narrative composition, you tell stories to entertain, and often, the stories must convey a message to the readers.
B. What are narratives?
Examples of narratives include fairy tales, myths, legends, folk tales, fables, science fiction, horror stories and plays.
A narrative story must contain the features described below:
A plot with an arrangement of events. Plots have a beginning, middle and end. In most stories, the events of the plot can be divided as follows
A plot with an arrangement of events. Plots have a beginning, middle and end. In most stories, the events of the plot can be divided as follows
§ Orientation: Introduces the characters and the setting describing when or where the story takes place
§ Conflict or problem
§ Rising action: Builds the conflict and develops the characters
§ Climax: Shows the highest point of the action
§ Resolution: Concludes the story and ties up all the loose ends.
§ Conflict or problem
§ Rising action: Builds the conflict and develops the characters
§ Climax: Shows the highest point of the action
§ Resolution: Concludes the story and ties up all the loose ends.
Narratives are also characterised by the following:
§ Vocabulary (adjectives, adverbs) used to develop an understanding of the story
§ Use of Dialogue to bring characters to life and add interest
§ Written in the past tense
C. Structure of Narratives 1. Orientation
Here is an excerpt from Huckleberry Finn describing the setting of the story:
I lay there in the grass and cool shade thinking about things and feeling rested and rather comfortable and satisfied. I could see the sun out at one or two holes, but mostly it was big trees all about, and gloomy in there amongst them.
—Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter VIII
o Characters (Who?)
Who are the main characters who have important roles in the story? What do they look like? When introducing a character, you may want to describe how they look and behave.
Here are some examples:
Tom is an athletic, rude man. He has fuzzy brown hair, brown eyes and a raspy voice. He likes to wear his bright orange shorts to the beach.
His aunt was large, with luminous aquamarine eyes and silky blond hair worn long and messy. She was wearing a lumpy dress and seemed goofy
o Setting: Where and when? - place and time
Here is an excerpt from Huckleberry Finn describing the setting of the story:I lay there in the grass and cool shade thinking about things and feeling rested and rather comfortable and satisfied. I could see the sun out at one or two holes, but mostly it was big trees all about, and gloomy in there amongst them.
—Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter VIII
o Characters (Who?)
Who are the main characters who have important roles in the story? What do they look like? When introducing a character, you may want to describe how they look and behave.
Here are some examples:
His aunt was large, with luminous aquamarine eyes and silky blond hair worn long and messy. She was wearing a lumpy dress and seemed goofy2. Conflict (problem)
- Usually involves the main character or protagonist
- The event(s) which trigger the most feelings in the reader
3. Climax (sequence of events)
- Why did it happen?
- How did it happen?
4. Resolution/conclusion
- Resolution for the complication
- May result in a happy or unhappy conclusion
Theme: Narrative compositions must include a theme or message that the writer is attempting to communicate. Some examples are:
- People are capable of great heroism when put to the test.
- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
- The world is a lonely and bitter place.
D. How to plan a narrative?
Here is an example of how you can plan your narrative composition:
Sources:
Writing Well: Narrative Building Blocks — Infoplease.comhttp://www.infoplease.com/cig/writing-well/narrative-building-blocks.html#ixzz1WsNz1wSu
