A. Description of narrative
writing
Narrative writing focuses on telling a
story. This may mean telling a fictional story — one that is made up — or it
may mean telling a real-life story in such a way that the author follows a plot
structure. It can also take the form of an essay, in which the author will use
a personal story to prove a point or state an argument. The forms vary greatly
because it is largely a creative endeavor; novels, short stories, poems, blog
posts, and essays can all take the form of a narrative, and while the form of the
writing may change, the function of telling a story remains the same.
Much of narrative writing can be done on a
personal level — that is, the stories written do not necessarily need to be
shared with others. The value of such writing becomes evident as acatharsis of sorts:
authors may choose to write about a troubling situation to help themselves work
through it or understand it better, for example. As a tool in the public
domain, this form of writing helps the author connect with an audience to prove
a point, state an argument, or address an important issue. A narrative can set
the stage for a particular issue, and the story does not necessarily have to be
about the author himself. He can, for example, write an account of a friend or
acquaintance's experiences in a war-torn country without having lived through
the experience. Narratives can also be fictional events that follow a plot
structure that includes introduction or exposition, rising action, climax,
falling action, and resolution or denouement.
This structure is sometimes known as the plot pyramid or story
arc, and it ensures all relevant parts of the story get told. Characterization, or developing a character
into a believable and almost real person, is important to the story, as is
developing setting, tone, and relevant themes. These make narrative different
from other writing genre.
The most common forms of narrative writing
include short stories and novels. These two genres generally follow story arcs,
and in novels, several characters and settings may be developed. A short story
will usually contain fewer characters and settings, as such stories are
designed to be easily digestible pieces of writing that can be read relatively
quickly. Novels are significantly longer and offer the writer ample opportunity
to deal with complex themes, characters, and interactions. Poems can also be
narrative, though the writer is generally afforded even less space to tell a
story than a short story. Longer, narrative poems, however, may run on for
several pages, and some are even novel-length.
B.
Narrative writing different
from other writing genres because:
The purpose of a narrative is usually to entertain through
story-telling. Details, such as exotic settings, intricate plots and finely
drawn characters can add to the appeal of the story. Narratives also
communicate ideas about the meaning of life, families, morals and values and
spirituality. Many famous narrative texts such as "Uncle Tom's
Cabin," "The Grapes of Wrath" and "1984" have
influenced social conventions.
Sub-Types
Narrative text is often classified by sub-types or genres. Some
common narrative genres include detective fiction, historical narratives,
memoirs, science fiction, fables and myths. Each genre contains its own
narrative tropes, plot devices and character types.
Structure
Narratives commonly have a five-part structure (sometimes called
Freytag's Pyramid) comprising an exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action and denouement. More complex narratives can employ sub-structures,
digressions, flashbacks, back story and multiple perspectives.
Style
The style of a narrative is a choice made by the author based in
part on text's genre, purpose and structure. For example, a detective story
written for entertainment and employing a conventional five-part structure, may
have a style which is witty, fast-paced and ironic. A memoir about growing up
during China's Cultural Revolution, written to educate readers and communicate
ideas about the meaning of an historical event, may have a style that is
reflective, tragic and dense.
C.
Steps to make Narrative
Writing
- Decide on a topic --- what is the story you want to tell?
Look over the list of suggestions or brainstorm a few of your own.
Remember, a narrative is a story with characters, setting, problem, and
solution. Be sure to choose a story that has all the parts of a good
narrative.
Example : My great experience in campus one
- Establish
the setting
Answer the questions Who? What? Where? When? And
Why? These questions help to narrow and describe the setting before the
problem or action takes place.
Use the center block of Four Square to jot ideas for:
· Who was there before the
action?
· What were they doing
before the action?
· Where were they before the
action?
· When does the story take
place?
· Why are these people
there?
Setting is important in many ways. Not only does it affect the action
and events in the story, but it can also affect the way characters act.
Example: One day, I was a student of senior high school of
kartikatama metro. When I was second grade in that school, I followed a
program from my senior high school to studied english for one month with some
menthors from pare kediri in my campus one.
- Decide
on the events of the story. These events should be actions with
strong, active verbs. If there is no action, there is no story.
Use the first three squares of the Four Square to
outline the events that create the plot. The fourth and final square is
reserved for the “Big Ending” ! The “big ending” should give the outcome
or solution to the problem that is identified in the plot.
Example: I left all of my activity in school, left my parents
and left my best friend at school because From my class just three students who
followed this program, and one of them was me. I went to campus one with my
friends from another class and some of my teachers.
- Details, Details, Details
Details are the way to elaborate on the events that create the plot.
These important bits are the way to explain “what happened” and “how it
happened”. Think of how it would be if a friend tried to tell you what
happened in a movie you have not seen without any details of what and how
things happened. You would not understand the movie. Details help
the reader to see what you see.
Remember that each square of the Four Square represents
a new event, and you should take the time to really detail each event before
moving to the next.
Example: The activity in campus one was so full and serious, it
made me so tired and I almost gave up because of it. And our menthors were very
decipline, first everyday we learned about phonetics, speaking, and we must added
our vocabulary everyday. then We must woke up early morning then prayed subuh
in the mosque, then prepared to sdudied. At six am, we started to studied
english together with our menthor. At seven am we had breakfast and studied
again until waited the time to prayed zhuhur. After we have prayed and lunch we
continued our studied until five pm. If we spoken in bahasa, we will got the
punishment from them. We started to studied again after we prayed magrib and
had dinner. Finally we can take a rest in our room after at nine pm. During we
stayed there, we can’t go to anywhere and can’t meet anyone. Our handphone was
also brought by our headmaster. And it was really killed me.
- Connect the events
Connectors are a good way to connect the events in the story. They
are used to show the time relationship between the events. Connectors
have a dramatic effect. In one story it may be meaningful if something
happens immediately. In another story, if something
happens 10 years later, it may be equally shocking.
Add the connector words to the top, left corner of each of the squares in
the Four Square.
Example: One day, Three years ago,
- Add “vivids”
“Vivids” are those words that add life to your writing. They bring
the reader to the scene of the story. Vivid language lets the reader know
what the writer sees, hears, feels, smells and tastes. Vivids include
clear, concise and “vivid” adjectives to describe people or things. Clear
adverbs help to clarify when, where, why or how certain actions or events
occurred. Specific nouns let the reader see what you see, strong, select
verbs demonstrate the actions of the characters just as you want them to be.
Remember to include dialogue to express mood, feeling, emotion and point of
view. Figurative language and sensory imagery are also excellent examples
of vivids. To help select your vivids, ask yourself “like what?” when
telling about an event. Choose vivids that show, not tell. Select
appropriate vivids at appropriate times in the story. Don’t force vivids
in, just to have them in your story; they are only useful when they add
strength to the writing.
Vivids are placed just below each of the details outlined for each event in
the Four Square.
Example: , it made me so tired, We must woke
up early morning then prayed subuh in the mosque, then prepared to sdudied. we
can take a rest in our room after at nine pm.
- “Hook” your reader
Remember the purpose of the narrative is to entertain the reader. It
is important to attract the reader’s attention right from the start so they
want to read the story. On way to attract the reader is to use a
“hook”. A “hook” is a one-sentence device placed at the beginning of the
story and generate curiosity in the reader. The “hook” is then followed
by the setting paragraph, the event paragraphs and the conclusion paragraph.
Example: I am really proud can follow this program
because I can add more my english knowledge and of course made my english was
be better than before. So I never regreted ever followed this program.
“ My great experience in
campus one”
One
day I was a student of senior high school of kartikatama metro.Three
years ago I was second grade in that school, I followed a program from my
senior high school to studied english for one month with some menthors from
pare kediri in my campus one. So I left all of my activity in school, left my
parents and left my best friend at school because From my class just three
students who followed this program, and one of them was me. I went to campus
one with my friends from another class and some of my teachers. (orientation) .
The activity in campus one was so full and serious, it made me so tired and I almost gave up because of it. And our
menthors were very decipline, first everyday we learned about phonetics,
speaking, and we must added our vocabulary everyday. then We must woke up early
morning then prayed subuh in the mosque, then prepared to sdudied. At six am,
we started to studied english together with our menthor. At seven am we had
breakfast and studied again until waited the time to prayed zhuhur. After we
have prayed and lunch we continued our studied until five pm. If we spoken in
bahasa, we will got the punishment from them. We started to studied again after
we prayed magrib and had dinner. Finally we can take a rest in our room after
at nine pm. During we stayed there, we can’t go to anywhere and can’t meet
anyone. Our handphone was also brought by our headmaster. And it was really
killed me. (complication)
when Saturday we got a free day, so
we didn’t study and we can used our handphone to called our parents or our
friends. Sometimes, we went to somewhere together, swam together, ate outside
together and done sport to refresh our mind. Altough it was very
complicated activity, but I felt so happy because I can do that all
together with my beloved friends.
For one month we done it together, and when this program almost end we
felt so sad. In the end of this program we made a farewel party, some of us
presented a drama, speech, sung a song, danced, and this party also attended by
our parents and our teacher. we really enjoyed our party because this is the
last our performed together, we did it totally and gave our best. After the
party end, we took a picture together until we cried together. Then we come
back to our home. And come back to our school to studied in a class again. I am
really proud can follow this program because I can add more my english
knowledge and of course made my english was be better than before. So I never
regreted ever followed this program. (resolution)
Analyze of topic sentences:
1. One
day I was a student of senior high school of kartikatama metro. It called
topic sentences because it intriduces the main idea of the paragraph.
2. The activity in campus one was so full and serious. It called
topic sentences because it is the first sentence in a paragraph.
3. when Saturday we got a free day. It called topic sentences because the next sentence
give information more detail.
4. For one month we done it together. It called topic sentence because it is key words to
explain more information for the next sentences.
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