A narrative is a story that is created in a constructive format (as a work of speech, literature, pictures, song, motion pictures, television, video games, theater, musical theater, or dance) that describes a sequence of fictional or non-fictional events. Purpose a narrative serves to entertain or inform readers by telling them a story. Structure A narrative has a number of parts:

Orientation – who, when, where •

Complication – event that causes a complication; there may be more than one in a story.

Descriptive words are used to give information about characters and events.

Evaluation – reaction by characters to the complication • Resolution – solution to the problem.

Coda (optional) – lesson from the story

Language features of a narrative

Description of characters and places using:

– Adjectives to describe nouns – heavy, frosty, transparent, grumpy

– Adverbs – to describe verbs – quickly, secretly, quietly, energetically, suddenly

– Similes – to compare one thing with another, using like or as … as – as bright as the moon, the kiss felt like a butterfly’s wings against her cheek

-Time words – Once upon a time, long ago, then, last week

Verbs indicating actions in the story – hid, ate, ran, whispered, looked

Examples of an narrative Fiction novels like adventure and fantasy, spoken and written stories

Snow White and 7 Dwarfs One day she heard her uncle and aunt talking about leaving Snow White in the castle because they both wanted to go to America and they didn’t have enough money to take Snow White. Snow White didn’t 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 home when her aunt and uncle were having breakfast. She ran away into the woods. Then she saw a little cottage. She knocked but no 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’s your name?” Snow White said, “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 seven dwarfs lived happily ever after.

 

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