NARRATIVE TEXT PRESENTATION

Definition:

Narrative text is any kind of writing that tells a story. Usually, narrative writing
is categorized as fiction, which is based on imaginative events or stories that did not
actually happen. And the other category of writing is known as nonfiction, which
would be writing that is based on real facts.

Nonfiction consists of newspaper, essays, reports, and other informative

writing. However, some nonfiction can in fact tell a story, which would classify it as
narrative writing. In the case of nonfiction, the story must be a true story with real
people and events. Autobiographies and biographies are examples of nonfiction that
is narrative writing, as they tell the real story of a real person’s life.

Origin:

Narratives or storytelling has been around forever andi s one of the oldest
methods by which people learned to communicate. Here is a brief overview of the
history of narrative writing:

1. Oral Tradition: Before the advent of written language, storytelling was

primarily an oral tradition. Ancient civilizations relied on bards, poets, and
storytellers to preserve and transmit their histories, myths, legends, and cultural
values through spoken narratives. These oral narratives often incorporated poetic
elements and relied on memory and oral transmission.

2. Ancient Epics: One of the earliest forms of written narrative comes from
ancient epics. Epic poems, such as the Mesopotamian "Epic of Gilgamesh" (c.
2100 BCE) and the Greek "Iliad" and "Odyssey" (8th century BCE), recounted
heroic tales, adventures, and moral lessons. These epic narratives celebrated
heroes, gods, and historical events, providing entertainment and embodying
cultural values.

3. Classical Literature: In ancient Greece and Rome, narrative writing

flourished in various forms. Greek playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides
 introduced complex narratives in their tragedies, exploring human nature and the
consequences of actions. Roman writers, such as Virgil with his epic "Aeneid,"
continued the tradition of storytelling through poetic narratives.

4. Medieval Storytelling: During the Middle Ages, storytelling thrived in the form
of oral traditions, ballads, and troubadour poetry. Stories of chivalry, knights, and
courtly love became popular themes in narratives like the Arthurian legends and
the tales of troubadours. Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" (14th
century) stands as a notable work, showcasing various characters' stories as they
journey to a pilgrimage site.

5. Renaissance and the Birth of the Novel: The Renaissance period saw the
emergence of the novel as a distinct narrative form. Miguel de Cervantes' "Don
Quixote" (17th century) is considered one of the first modern novels, blending
adventure, humor, and social commentary. The novel form allowed for longer,
more complex narratives and the exploration of diverse themes and perspectives.

6. 18th and 19th Century Fiction: The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed the
rise of narrative fiction with authors like Daniel Defoe ("Robinson Crusoe"), Jane
Austen ("Pride and Prejudice"), and Charles Dickens ("Great Expectations").
These writers focused on character development, intricate plotlines, and social
critique, shaping the novel as a prominent form of narrative writing.

Through these stories, people were able to learn about cultures, traditions,
and historical practices as well as time periods and the people who lived in that time
period. Without oral and written narratives, parts of history would have disappeared,
and there would be limited knowledge about people's ancestors.

Types:

Narratives have been around since the beginning of storytelling, from folk
tales to ancient poetry. Here are four common types of narrative:

1. Viewpoint Narrative is designed to express the points of view or subjective

personal experience of the main character or other fictional characters in the
story. In viewpoint narrative writing, moods, feelings, and other sensory details
are filtered through the narrator’s own life and subjective point of view. This
narrative style often takes the form of first-person narration or third-person
omniscient narration, in which the omniscient narrator switches between the
POVs and private thoughts of multiple central characters. This type of narrative
allows for the possibility of an unreliable narrator, in which the person telling the
story presents information subjectively and in an untrustworthy manner. The
unreliable narrator is either deliberately deceptive (e.g. a noted liar or trickster) or
unintentionally misguided (e.g. a middle schooler who may not fully understand
the events taking place), forcing the reader to question their credibility as a
storyteller. In Lolita by Vladamir Nabokov, the first-person narrative comes from
Humbert Humbert, a man who has been in a psychiatric clinic multiple times and
casts the entire story in a subjective, untrustworthy light.

2. Quest narrative is a story in which the protagonist works tirelessly toward a

goal. The pursuit of this goal likely becomes their all-consuming passion, and
they must face seemingly insurmountable obstacles along the way. Typically, this
object of their pursuit is geographically remote, and the character must go on a
long journey to obtain it—as Odysseus does in returning home to his wife in The
Odyssey or as Captain Willard does in his journey through the jungles of Vietnam
to find Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now. Another example of a quest narrative is
J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit. In the novel, Bilbo Baggins sets out with a band of
dwarves to reclaim lost gold from a dragon. Their quest takes them through many
dangerous territories, and they are nearly ruined by a number of crises along the
way.

3. Linear Narrative presents the events of the story in the order in which they
actually happened. This can be accomplished through any narrative perspective,
be it first-person narration, second-person narration, or third-person narration.
The types of writing that employ linear narrative have the effect of immersing the
reader in the daily life of the protagonist, as the reader watches the events of the
character’s life unfold in chronological order. Examples of narrative linearity can
be found in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which offers different narrative
perspectives but unfolds the plot in a linear, chronological manner.
 4. Non-linear narrative presents the events of the story out of order,
employing flashbacks and other literary devices to shift the chronology of a story.
A short story, novella, or novel may fracture the timeline of the story in order to
emphasize the emotional mindset of a personal narrative or make thematic
connections between non contemporary events. In Homer’s epic poem The
Odyssey, Odysseus’ adventures are presented out of order. This has the effect of
building suspense throughout the long narrative poem, as the reader is left to
wonder how Odysseus’ ordeals began. Another good example of a non-linear
narrative is The Overstory, in which author Richard Powers, employs a type of
narration that interweaves storylines that span decades and only occasionally
overlap.

Features:

● Plot is the structure of the narrative as it moves through time. Most narratives
(but not all) follow this traditional plot structure. It consists of the exposition
(introduction of setting and characters), rising action (events that build
conflict for the protagonist), climax (tension of conflict reaches highest, most
intense point), falling action (the events following the climax), and
denouement (the resolution of conflict).

Questions to Consider: What is the relationship between the events of the

story? How do the actions inform the theme of the story?

● Characters are the people involved in the narrative. The process by which a
writer creates a character is called characterization. The main or central
character, often considered the hero, is called the protagonist. The main
character who opposes the protagonist is the antagonist, sometimes
considered the villain. Literary analysis of characters often focuses on
whether or not and to what extent a character changes throughout the story.

Questions to Consider: What is the motivation of each character? How do

characters grow or transform throughout the story? Or do they fail to grow or
change at all? What does their growth or lack of growth say about the theme
of the story?
● Setting can refer to a time and place the story is set in. The location can
either work symbolically or it can simply be a backdrop for the story to take
place in.

Questions to Consider: How does the location, time, and/or date of the story
affect the theme? How does the setting affect how the characters respond to
conflict?

● Point of View refers to the perspective the story is told from. This element
includes first-person, thirdperson, and third-person omniscient narrators.

a. First-person narrator: Tells the story from the perspective of one or

several characters with the word “I” or “we.” The readers, as if from their own
eyes, can envision the characters actions.

b. Third-person limited narrator: Tells the story from an outside perspective

from the perspective of one of the characters (usually the protagonist). The
third-person limited narrator can relate events, thoughts, actions, but is limited
to that single character. For example, if the narration is from the point of view
of the protagonist, the narrator cannot relate events that are happening across
town from where the protagonist is, nor can they relate the interior thoughts of
any other character. Third person limited narration uses the pronouns “he,”
“she,” or “they.”

c. Third-person omniscient narrator: Also tells the story from an outside

perspective but this narrator is not limited to actions and thoughts of one
character. This narrator knows all of the in formation of the story and can
relate the events of the story, the actions and speech of each as well as the
interior thoughts of any character. There are no limits for this narrator.

Questions to Consider: Does the narrator reflect an inner or an outer

perspective on the story? Why did the author select this point of view? What
would change if the story were told from a different point of view?
● Conflict refers to the issue or problem characters in a story are confronted
by. The narrative is structured around how the characters face the conflict.
The four general types of conflicts are:

1. Person vs. person (a couple going through a divorce)

2. Person vs. self (protagonist wrestling with depression)

3. Person vs. nature (protagonist trying to survive a natural disaster)

4. Person vs. society (protagonist fighting for civil rights). The interaction of
character and conflict creates the central effect of the story and is the main
indicator of meaning.

Questions to Consider: How does the conflict affect the main characters in the
story? How is the conflict resolve d and what does the resolution say about
theme? How does the conflict change the main characters?

● Theme is perhaps the most important literary concept because it is the

overarching idea that the writer of the story wants to reader to understand. All
other literary concepts are used to create theme. The theme is the author’s
commentary on a subject. For example, in Shakespeare’s Othello, one of the
major themes is how easily human perception can be manipulated when
powerful emotions are at play. To determine the theme, examine other literary
elements of the story.

Questions to Consider: First identify the subject (s) of the story and then ask:
what is the writer trying to say about this subject? What literary tools does the
writer use to create this theme?

● Style refers to the way the writer uses language including diction, voice, tone,
sentence style, etc. Paying attention to these details allows the reader to
identify how and why word choice and sentence style, etc. can help create the
effect and meaning of the story.
 Questions to Consider: Is the diction hard or simple to understand? Are the
sentences short or complex? Why did the writer make these stylistic choices?
How do these choices add or detract from the effect of the story?

By incorporating these features into your narrative writing, you can create a
compelling story that captivates and resonates with your readers.

Summary:

Narrative writing is a form of storytelling that presents a sequence of events or

experiences. It often includes elements such as characters, plot, setting, conflict, and
resolution. The purpose of narrative writing is to engage and entertain the reader by
creating a compelling narrative with vivid descriptions, realistic dialogue, and a well-
structured storyline. It can take various forms, including novels, short stories,
memoirs, and even scripts for film or theater. Narrative writing allows writers to
transport readers into different worlds, evoke emotions, and explore themes and
ideas through the power of storytelling.

Source:

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/types-of-narrative-writing
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-narrative-writing-definition-types-
characteristics-examples.html
https://lewisu.edu/writingcenter/pdf/narrative-elements-1.pdf