What is Narrative?

Narrative is a text focusing specific

participants. Its social function is to
tell stories or past events and
entertain the readers
 Generic Structure of Narrative
Orientation : Introducing the participants, place and time
Complication : Describing the rising crises which the
participans have to do with
Resolution : Showing the way of participant to solve the crises,
better or worse
 Language Feature of Narrative

Using processes verbs

Using Temporal conjuction
Using Simple Past Tense
 Example :
Snow White
Once upon a time therelived a little girl named Snow
Orientation White. Shelivedwith her Aunt and Uncle because her
parentswere dead.
One day she heard her Uncle and Aunt talking about
leaving Snow White in the castle because they both wanted
Complication 1 to go to America and they didn’t have enough money to
take Snow White.
Snow White did not want her Uncle and Aunt to do
this soshe decided it would be best if she ran away. The
Resolution 1
next morningshe ran away from home when her Aunt and
Uncle wereha ving breakfast. She ran away into the woods.
Then she saw this little cottage.She knocked but no
Complication 2 one answered so she went inside and fell asleep.
 Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs were coming home from
work.They went inside. There they found Snow White
sleeping. Then Snow White woke up. She saw the dwarfs.
The dwarfs said, “what is your name?” Snow Whitesaid,
Resolution 2 “My name is Snow White.” Doc, one of the dwarfs, said, “If
you wish, you may live here with us.”Snow White said, “Oh
could I? Thank you.”Then Snow White told the dwarfs the
whole story and Snow White and the 7 dwarfs lived
happily ever after.
Typical Features of The Narrative
A. Humor
 Orientation : Funny character names, unusual setting
 Compliation : Something ‘crazy’ happens
 Sequence of events : Funny things said by characters,
imaginative ideas, extraordinary things happening to
ordinary people, making fun of serious situations,
exaggeration, comedy of errors
 Resolution : All’s well that ends well
B. Romance
 Orientation : ‘Hulk’ male and female who looking for
love, character introduced, exotic setting
 Compliation : Boy meets girl
 Sequence of events : Jealously, development of
relationship, overcoming of relationship, overcoming
of problem, love, hurt and pain, warmth, sharing
 Resolution : Boy gets girl, marry and live happily ever
after
C. Historical Fiction
 Orientation : A setting in the past, description of a
period in history
 Compliation : Good meet evil
 Sequence of events : Action related to a period in
history, characters lives affected by the events history,
good versus evil, description of life at the time
 Resolution : Characrters survive the chaos of the time
(for example, the war ends)
D. The Diary-novel
 Orientation : Main character is the narrator, time setting
given by diary entry
 Compliation : Given in one of the diary entries, can be
related to romance, adventure, humor, mystery, or other
type
 Sequence of events : Each diary entry builds up the squence
of events, diary entries tell of feelings, hope, and
happenings
 Resolution : The narrator tells what happens to solve the
complication
E. Fantasy
 Orientation : Here who may have magical powers,
setting may be in another dimension with gods,
witches, wizards, and so on
 Compliation : Evil forces affect the goodies
 Sequence of events : A quest, struggle between good
and evil, imaginative description, use of magic, action
includes elves, dragons and mystical beasts, heroism
 Resolution : Good defeats evil forces
F. Science Fiction
 Orientation : A future setting, a world with
technology, aliens or strange creature
 Compliation : An evil force threatens the world
 Sequence of events : Imaginative descriptions, action
involves technology, science and super inventions,
other worlds and creatures are involved
 Resolution : Good defeats evil
 Coda : Take care that science is used for good, not evil