writing 1.5-NARRATION

L/O/G/ONarrationWritingthattellsastoryNarration1)Novel2)Film3)TVNarrationTonarrateistogiveanaccountofwhathappenedorishappening.Atthissimplest,narrationisthetellingofastory,whichinvolvescharactersandongoingactions.Itattemptstorecreateeventssothatthereadermaysharetheexperiences.HowtoplananarrativeSixElements:•Who•When•Where•Why•What•HowSummaryThesixelementsofnarrativesareoftenmadeclearatthebeginningofthenarrative.Thiswillprovidethereaderwithacontext,orcircumstances,tohelphimunderstandthewholenarrative.Anarrativeismadeupofdetails.Thereshouldbeenoughdetailssothatthereaderknowswhatishappening,butthereshouldnotbetoomanyofthem,orthereaderwillbeconfusedandloseinterestinthestory.Onlyrelevantdetails,orthingsthatcontributetobringingoutthemainideasofthenarrative,areusefulandeffective.Whenselectingdetails,thewritershouldbearinmindhispurposeinwritingthenarrative.ExampleAIgotupat8A.M.ongraduationday,eventhoughgraduationwasn’tuntil8p.m.Iwatchedalotoftelevisionthatdaybeforegoingtotheauditoriumfortheactualceremony.Inthemorning,Iwasalsoonthetelephonealot,becauseallmyfriendskeptphoningeachother.Graduationdaywasonetimethatthewholefamilyatetogether,too.IwatchedTVprogramsintheafternoon,becauseIwasalwayscomplainingaboutmissingthemwhenIwasinschool.Ialsogottogetherwithsomeofmyfriendsintheearlyafternoon.Afterawhile,IgottiredofwatchingTV,soIstraightenedupmyroomandgotoutmyclothesfortheevening.Onereasonthewholefamilyatedinnertogetherwassowecouldearlyforthegraduation…ExampleBIgotupat8A.M.ongraduationday,eventhoughgraduationwasn’tuntil8p.m.formostofthemorningIwasonthetelephone,becauseallmyfriendskeptphoningeachother.Iwasallowedtoloungearoundandnotgointoworkthatday,soIgottogetherwithsomeofmyfriendsintheafternoon.ThenIcamehomeandwatchedsomeoftheTVprogramsIalwayscomplainedaboutmissingbecausetheywereonwhenIwasinschool.Afterawhile,sittinginfrontoftheTVsetgotboring.BylateafternoonIwastiredofwatchingTV,soIstraightenedupmyroomandgotoutmyclothesfortheevening.Finally,itwastimefordinner,andthewholefamilyatetogethersowecouldleaveearly…(1).Anoperation.____Afrienddrovemetothehospital.____Iwokeupwithsevereabdominalpains.____TwodayslaterIfeltfineandwenthome____Mydoctorsuspectedappendicitisandsentmetothehospital.____Asurgeonoperatedonmeandremovedtheappendix.(2).Atripbyplane____Wedrovetotheairportthroughheavytraffic.____Theviewoutthewindow,especiallyoverthemountains,waswonderful.____Wegotontheplaneandfastenedourseatbelts.____Ourluggagewastaggedandsentthrough.____Welandedatourdestinationandpickedupourluggage.(3).Findingajob.____Sheentersastoreandasksforajobapplication.____Shescansthestoresinthemallforhelpwantedsigns.____Theinterviewwiththemanagerisasuccess.____Shestartsworkthatafternoon.____Shefillsoutthejobapplicationandgivesittothemanager____Sheisofferedthejob.(4).Amarathonrace____Themarathonrouteislaidout.____Helpersandsupportpeoplegototheirassignedstationsalongthemarathonroute.____Runnerssignupfortherace.____Adateandtimearesetforthemarathonrun.____Winnersreceivetheirprizes.SummaryEventsinanarrativeareusuallyrelatedinchronologicalorder,thatis,intheorderinwhichtheyoccur.Possibletostartfromthemiddleortheendofthestory.(flashback)Commonpattern:beginning(setting),middle(thestoryitself),ending(conclusionorsignificanceofthestory)ExampleAHavinglivedinManhattanmyentirelife,Iknewnothingabouthorses.Ihadneverbeentoaracetrackoracircus.IneverlikedWesterns.MyonlycontactwithhorseswasasinglecarriagerideinCentralParkonemuggyJulyafternoon.WhenmysisterinvitedmetoherhorsefarminWashington,Iofferedtoearnmykeepbyhelpingout.OnlythendidIrealizehowdelicatethoselumberingbeastsare.Ilearnedthathorsesrequiredmorecarethanmyfragile-lookingbutheartylittleBichonFrise.ExampleBTheAblesonCompanywasfoundedin1910byFrankandGeorgeAbleson,bothofwhomhadworkedforUnionPacific.Theirfirmperfectedthesteamregulator,whichbecamestandardequipmentonalllocomotivesby1920.TheSanFranciscofirmexpandedduringtheTwentiesandbuiltfacilitiesinOakland,St.Louis,Atlanta,NewYork,andBoston.DuringtheDepression,theAblesonbrothers,bothsufferingfromheartdisease,soldthefirmtoNationalGearandBrake.ExampleCImetFrankMintonassoonashewasdischargedfromthehospital.Hefeltluckytobealive.Hisseatbelthadkepthimfromgoingthroughthewindshield,andhehadonlyaswollencheekandsomedouble-visiontoindicatehehadsurvivedanearlyfatalcrash.Butintheweeksthatfollowed,Ibegantonoticestrangeaftereffects.Frankforgottoreturnphonemessages.Oneafternoon,whilewritingoutpayrollchecksforhisstaff,herepeatedlyaskedmethedate.Iwatchedashispenfrozeovertheyellowcheckbook.Hewouldthenflipbacktocheckthespellingofafriend'sname.Atthepiano,heplayedthesamebaroverandoveragain,seeminglyunabletoproceedtothenext.Itwouldbemonthsbeforeanyofuswerewillingtoacceptthepainfulfactthathisjazzcareerwasover.SummaryNarrativesaregenerallywritteninthefirstpersonsingular,i.e.,I.Infirstpersonnarratives,thewriterisoftenthemainparticipantoractor,usuallyfocusingonpersonalreactionstoevents.However,thirdperson(he,she,orit)canalsobeused.Whichpersonyouusemostoftenisafunctionofwhoseperspectiveisbeingcapturedi