Writing-a-Narrative

EnglishWritingNarrationNarrationTogiveanaccountofaneventorseriesofeventsStoriesBiographiesHistoriesIncludesdescriptionwritingwhendescribingasettingorapersonNarrationConsider5aspectswhenplanninganarrativeContext–when,where,towhomtheactionhappenedismadeclearatthebeginningsothatthereaderwillunderstandthecontextSelectionofDetails–Enoughdetailssothereaderknowswhatishappening.Nottoomanytoconfuseorborethereader.Includeonlyrelevantdetails.NarrationConsider5aspectswhenplanninganarrativeOrganization–Relatedinchronologicalorder.Sometimesyoucanstartinthemiddleorattheend(flashback)tocreatereaderinterest.Hasabeginning(setting),middle(storyitself),andend(endofstoryormeaningofstory)PointofView–1stperson(I,we,etc.)or3rdperson(he,she,they,etc.)NarrationConsider5aspectswhenplanninganarrativePurpose–proveatheory,illustrateaconcept,praiseavirtue,condemnavice,entertain,etc.Anarrativeshouldleavetheimpressionwiththereaderthatagreeswiththewriter’spurpose.Chooseplotanddetailscarefully.1.PlanningaCompositionWhenatopicisassigned,weshouldworkoutaplanandmakesurethatwehaveenoughmaterial.Somepeoplethinkthatmakingaplanisawasteoftime,butactuallyitisnot.Ifwewritewhatevercomestoourmindwithoutaplan,wemayspendmuchmoretimerevisingourfirstdraft.1.PlanningaComposition1)PuttingdownalltherelevantfactsActually,whatthewritershoulddoattheverybeginningistothinkofasmanyrelevantfactsasshecan,makealistandthentrytofindapropertheme.Let’smakeuseofthelistandseehowweshouldgoaboutthetask.Topic：Myneighborsweremovingaway(1)Myneighborsweremovingaway.(2)Ihadthesameexperienceofmovingacoupleofyearsbefore.(3)WemovedwithotherfamiliesoftheinstitutesothatIcouldstillplaywithmyoldfriends.(4)WhenIstartedschoolIfoundmyschoolwasunpleasantplacewithlowbuildingsandmyschoolmateswerenoisykidswhohadnoshoeson.(5)IfeltastrongattachmenttotheconcreteconstructioninwhichIlived.(6)Icametounderstandwhattheolderchildrenmeantby“we”and“they.”(7)OurneighborAuntWangcouldmaketastypicklesandthemostfashionableclothes,andshehadmadenicetrousersformysister.(8)MysistertoldmethatAuntWangandherfamilywerecountryfolks.(9)UncleFanhadthehabitofsquattingatthethresholdwheneatinghisnoodles.(10)TheirdaughterLiliwasoneofthosewhoranfastandjumpedhigh.(11)AdisputebrokeoutafterhersidewonagameandLilibecamethetargetofcriticismsimplybecauseshewasoneof“them”.(12)Evengirlsonhersideleftherbecauseofher“humble”origin.(13)IfailedtosupportLiliandsheneverspoketomeafterthat.4StepsinwritingacompositionPlanningacompositionWritingthefirstdraftRevisingthefirstdraftMakingthefinalcopy2)ThinkingofaproperthemeanddecidingonourpurposeHavinglistedallthefacts,weshouldthinkofatheme,thatis,acontrollingidea,anddecideonourpurpose.Ourthememaybe:(1)myneighborsmovingawayremindsmeofmysimilarexperience,or(2)IamsorrytoseethemleaveandregretlosingmyneighborLili’sfriendship.Obviously,mostofthefactslistedhavesomethingtodowiththeme2,andwiththistheme,weareabletoshowourpurpose:disapprovalofthesnobbishness势利眼whichhadaharmfuleffectevenuponchildren.3)Re-examiningourlistofdetailsandoutlining(1)Nowwithourpurposeinmind,weshouldlookatthelistagainandcutoutirrelevant,unnecessary,orunimportantdetails;inthiscase,weshouldcrossoutatleastdetails2,3,5whichhavelittletodowiththetopic.(2)Thenweshouldrearrangethefactsinalogicalorderandwriteanoutline.Whiledoingso,itmaybenecessaryforustoaddimportantdetailswhichwillhelpusachieveourpurpose.(3)Thefollowingisasentenceoutlinewhichweshouldpreparebeforewriting:TypesofoutlineSentenceoutlineTopicoutline(nounphrases)OutlineTopic:Thesis(controllingidea):I.MainIdeaII.MainIdeaA.Sub-ideaB.Sub-idea1.Supportingdetail2.SupportingdetailIII.MainIdeaA.Sub-ideaB.Sub-ideaC.Sub-ideaVI.ConclusionTopic：MyneighborsweremovingawayThesis：IwassorrytoseethemgoandregrettedhavinglostLili’sfriendship.I.Myneighbor’sweregettingreadytomove.II.Myneighborswereafamilyofthree.A.AuntWang,acapablehousewife,wasactually“head”ofthefamily.1.Shecouldmakeallkindsofdeliciouspickles.2.Shecouldcutclothesasfashionableasthosesoldintownandhadmadenicetrousersformysister.3.ButmysisterwassorrytotellmethatAuntWangwasnotoneof“us”,forherfamilywerecountryfolks.B.UncleFanwasasoft-brokenandtimidmanoffewwords.Hehadthehabitofsquattingdownatthethresholdwhenhavinghismeals.C.TheirdaughterLiliusedtobeafriendofmine.1.SheandIusedto…together.2.She…III.IlostLili’sfriendship.A.AdisputebrokeoutafterLili’ssidewonagame.1.Lilibecamethetarget…2.Evengirlsonhersidedesertedher.B.ShelookedformysupportbutIfailedher.1.Asmysisterandalltheothergirlswereonthesideagainsther,Ididn’thavethecouragetospeakoutanddefendher.2.Ihatedmyselfforbeingweakandsnobbish.C.Liineverspoketomeagainafterthat.IV.IwassorrytoseethemgoandregrettedhavinglostLilI’sfriendshipjustbecauseIwasfoolishenoughtobelievethat“we”,childrenof…werebetterthan“they”,childrenofpeasants.2.WritingtheFirstDraftNowthattheoutlineisready,wecanbegintowritethecomposition.Whilewritingourdraft,wemayhavesomenewideasanddepartfromouroutlineatoneplaceoranother.Thisoftenhappens,andweneednotworrytoomuch.Allwehavetodoistoreviseouroutlineorworkoutanewonei