AP Language and Composition—Narrative Mode of Discourse



AP Language and Composition—Narrative Mode of Discourse

Moving from beginning to end, recounting events in the order in which they occurred, narration generally relies on a more natural pattern of organization than other types of writing, but it is no less sophisticated or powerful a tool for explaining complex ideas or for changing readers’ opinions than, say, analogy, classification, or formal argument. All storytellers, no matter how entertaining their tales, have something to say about human beings and the world they inhabit.

As a mode of expressive writing, the narrative approach, more than any other, offers writers a chance to think and write about themselves. We all have experiences lodged in our memories which are worthy of sharing with readers. Yet sometimes they are so fused with other memories that a lot of the time spent in writing narrative is in the prewriting stage.

In this stage, writers first need to select an incident worthy of writing about and, second, to find relevance in that incident. To do this, writers might ask themselves what about the incident provided new insights or awareness. Finally, writers must dredge up details which will make the incident real for readers.

Fictional narratives are stories created out of the imagination of the author. Examples of this would include fables, fairy tales, legends, epics, short stories, and novels.

Factual narratives are accounts of real-life happenings (personal or public).

A personal narrative is an account of an event from the first-person point of view. Examples include diaries, journals, memoirs, eye-witness accounts, and autobiographical anecdotes.

A public narrative is the reporting of an event that actually occurred, but in this kind of account, the reporter suppresses all references to himself or herself and focuses attention on the event itself and the persons involved in it.

Principles of Writing Narrative Essays

Once an incident is chosen, the writer should keep three principles in mind.

1. Remember to involve readers in the story. It is much more interesting to actually recreate an incident for readers than to simply tell about it.

2. Find a generalization which the story supports. This is the only way the writer's personal experience will take on meaning for readers. This generalization does not have to encompass humanity as a whole; it can concern the writer, men, women, or children of various ages and backgrounds.

3. Remember that although the main component of a narrative is the story, details must be carefully selected to support, explain, and enhance the story.

Chronology is the main principle governing the organization of a narrative.

1. Natural or straight sequence

1st—2nd—3rd—4th—conclusion

2. Flashback

3rd—1st—2nd—4th—5th—conclusion

3. Flashback “hook”

6th—1st—2nd—3rd—4th—5th—6th—(reprise)—conclusion

Time is the most important element involved in chronology, but it is not the only relationship. Cause-and-effect is another kind of relationship that prevails between incidents. Basically, narratives are organized according to the principle of time. You may alter the normal order if:

1. you want to attract and hold your readers by starting out with the most exciting incident;

2. you want to intensify the suspense in your narrative;

3. you want to give increased emphasis to some incident by putting it in a spot outside the actual sequence.

Conventions of Narrative Essays

In writing your narrative essay, keep the following conventions in mind.

• Narratives are generally written in the first person (using "I"). However, third person ("he," "she," or "it") can also be used.

• Narratives rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point. These details should create a unified, forceful effect, a dominant impression (see below).

• Narratives, as stories, should include these story conventions: a plot, including setting and characters; a climax; and an ending.

Caution: there is a greater chance that your narrative will be dull and unimpressive for your readers if you tell rather than show your story.

Dominant Impression: The writer controls the dominant impression through careful word choice, figurative language, and selection of vivid details or emphasis. As you write your paper, first appeal to the five senses. However, in doing so, your word choice can help you achieve a dominant impression. For example, is the person you are describing walking, sneaking, strolling or limping? Each of these words imparts a different feeling. Also, whenever possible, try to use figurative language like similes or metaphors. Depending upon your comparison, you will create a different dominant impression. For example, is the house white like snow or white like bleached bones? In addition, some of your details make create a positive impression, others a negative one. Emphasizing one type over the other (e.g. more positives than negatives) you can influence the reader's reaction to your subject.

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