NARRATIVE TEXT
A. Definition of
Narrative
Narrative is a text
focusing specific participants. Its social function is to tell stories or past
events and entertain the readers.
B. Generic
Structure of Narrative
A narrative text
consists of the following structure:
1. Orientation: Introducing the
participants and informing the time and the place
2. Complication: Describing the
rising crises which the participants have to do with
3. Resolution: Showing the way of
participant to solve the crises, better or worse
C. Language
Features of Narrative
§
Using processes verbs
§
Using temporal conjunction
§
Using Simple Past
Tense
D. Examples and
structures of the text
Snow
White
|
Orientation
|
Once upon a time there lived a
little girl named Snow White. She lived with her Aunt
and Unclebecause her
parents were dead.
|
Complication 1
|
One day she heard her Uncle
and Aunt talkingabout leaving Snow White in the castle becausethey both wanted to go to America and theydidn’t
have enough money to
take Snow White.
|
Resolution 1
|
Snow White did not want her
Uncle and Aunt to do this so she decided it would
be best if she ran
away. The next morning she ran
away from homewhen her Aunt and Uncle were having breakfast.She ran away into the woods.
|
Complication 2
|
Then she saw this little cottage. She knocked but no one answered so she went inside and fell
asleep.
|
Resolution 2
|
Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs were
coming home from work. They went inside. There they foundSnow
White sleeping. Then Snow White woke
up.She saw the dwarfs. The dwarfs said, “what isyour name?” Snow White said, “My name is Snow
White.”
Doc, one of the
dwarfs, said, “If you wish, youmay 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.
|
Example of Narative
Queen of Arabia and
Three Sheiks
Maura, who like to be
thought of as the most beautiful and powerful queen of Arabia, had many
suitors. One by one she discarded them, until her list was reduced to just
three sheiks. The three sheiks were all equally young and handsome. They were
also rich and strong. It was very hard to decide who would be the best of them.
One evening, Maura
disguised herself and went to the camp of the three sheiks. As they were about
to have dinner, Maura asked them for something to eat. The first gave her some
left over food. The second Sheik gave her some unappetizing camel’s tail. The third sheik, who was called Hakim, offered her some of
the most tender and tasty meat.After dinner, the disguised queen left the sheik’s
camp.
The following day,
the queen invited the three sheiks to dinner at her palace. She ordered her
servant to give each one exactly what they had given her the evening before.
Hakim, who received a plate of delicious meat, refused to eat it if the other
two sheiks could not share it with him.
This Sheik Hakim’s
act finally convinced Queen Maura that he was the man for her. “Without
question, Hakim is the most generous of you” she announced her choice to the
sheiks. “So it is Hakim I will marry”.
Narrative Complication in Generic Structure
As it is said many
times that, the heart of narrative text is the existence of the complication.
It will drive the plot of the story to keep amusing. The existence of conflict
inside the Queen Maura is what builds the story keep running. The psychological
conflict inside Maura, which she strikes against herself, is arousing the
reader’s attention to continue reading the story. They want to know what next
will happen, who will be chosen by Queen Maura; in what way she will decide who
the best is. Keeping knowing them really entertaining as well increasing the
moral value added.
Orientation: the text introduces the Queen Maura and three sheiks
in Arabia once time.
Complication: Queen Maura finds out that it was very difficult to
choose one as the best among them.
Resolution: finally Queen Maura has a convincing way to choose one
and he is Sheik Hakim.
