NARATIVE TEXT

NARATIVE  TEXT

A.  DEFINITION

Narrative text is a text to entertain, to gain and hold a reader’s interest. It’s usually like a fable, myth, legend, folklore, etc. However narrative can be also written to teach or inform, to change attitudes/social opinion.

B.  THE FUNCTION OF NARRATIVE TEXT

-To amuse or to entertain
-To deal with actual vicarious experience in different ways.

C.  THE GENERIC STRUCTURE :

a. Orientation      : Sets the scene and introduces the participants.

b. Complication  : A crisis arises.

c. Resolution       : The crisis is resolved, for better or for worse.

D. NOTE ON NARRATIVE GENERIC STRUCTURE

a.	Orientation	The first paragraph presents information about the participant of the story. In literary term, the participant is called as character. Orientation commonly introduces information about WHO, WHERE and WHEN.
b.	Complication	a.     COMPLICATION: Paragraph two explores the niche of the story. That is conflict among the characters of the story. This conflict will involve physical and psychological conflict. The conflict is actually the heart of any narrative text. It will drive the participant to make effort in solving the crisis.
c.	Resolution	b.     The last paragraph closes the story with solving the crisis. However it can be better or worse.

E.  THE TYPICAL ELEMENTS :

a.     Setting       : When and where the story occurs.

b.     Characters : The most important people or characters in the story.

c.     Initiating Event : An action or occurrence that establishes a problem and/or goal.

d.     Conflict     : The focal point around which the whole story is organized.

e.     Events: One or more attempts by the main character(s) to achieve the goal or solve the problem.

f.     Resolution  : The outcome of the attempts to achieve the goal or solve the problem.

g.     Theme       : The main idea or moral of the story.

F. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF NARRATIVE TEXT :

a. Using the Simple Past Tense.

b. It’s started with adverb, such as long time ago, once upon a time, etc.

c. Using the conjunctions, such as then, after, that, before, etc.

G.  LANGUAGE FEATURES OF NARRATIVE TEXT

a.     Focus on specific and usually individualized participants, such as a Lion, A tiny Mouse ;

b.     Use of material processes (and in this text, behavioral and verbal processes);

c.     Use of relational processes and mental processes;

d.     Use of temporal conjunctions and temporal circumstances;

e.     Use of Past Tenses, such as a Lion slept in the jungle, The Lion fell into the trap, The tiny Mouse heard the Lion's roars;

f.     Direct and indirect speeches are often used

g.     Use of adverbs and adverbial phrases to locate the particular events, such as once upon a time,  long time ago,

h.     Use of time connectives and conjunctions, such as however, although, later, then, after that;

i.      Use action verbs to indicate the actions, such as opened, laughed;Use saying verbs and thinking verbs to indicate what characters are feeling, thinking or saying, such as told, said, decided, thought, felt

H. KINDS OF NARRATIVE

Fable	A short allegorical narrative making a moral point, traditionally by means of animal characters who speak and act like human beings.
Myths	A traditional sacred story, typically revolving around the activities of gods and heroes, which purports to explain a natural phenomenon or cultural practice.
Legend	A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history. Typically, a legend is a short, traditional and historicized narrative performed in a conversational mode. Some define legend as folktale.
Fairy Tale	According to Wikipedia, fairy tale is an English language term for a type of short narrative corresponding to the French phrase "conte de fée". A fairy tale typically features such folkloric characters as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments
Science Fiction	Science fiction is fiction based upon some imagined development of science, or upon the extrapolation of a tendency in society. Science fiction is that class of prose narrative treating of a situation that could not arise in the world we know
Short Stories	A short story is a short piece of fiction aiming at unity of characterization, theme and effect.
Parables	A story, usually short and simple, that illustrates a lesson.
Novels	Relatively longer fictional story with characters, dialogues, action, and events, and a 'plot' that ties them all together into a coherent whole.
Horror Story	Story intended to elicit a strong feeling of fear. Such tales are of ancient origin and form a substantial part of folk literature. They may feature supernatural elements such as ghosts, witches, or vampires or address more realistic psychological fears.

I.   THE EXAMPLE OF NARRATIVE TEXT :

THE RING 

Orientation

One day, A girl was sitting on a chair at the gas station she worked at. She looked up and saw her boyfriend walk in.

Complication

As he was looking at snacks, a man walked in and pointed a gun at her. He had been admiring her ring her boyfriend had given to her as a token of his love. When he asked her to give it to him, she said no. Her boyfriend looked up just in time to see her shot. He ran over to the killer and beat him over the head with a hammer that was for sale. Then he ran and called 911. When the ambulance came, he was sobbing uncontrollably near his girlfriend.

Resolution
The doctor came over and felt for her pulse. Then he stood up and said she was still alive. Later at the hospital, as he was sitting beside her, he asked"Why didn't you just give him the ring?" and then she softly spoke"Because when you gave it to me, you said it was part of your love for me and I knew if I gave him the ring, I would lose that love." The next day, she was pronounced dead.