Narrative Text

Narrative text is a text to entertain, to gain and hold a reader’s interest. It’s usually like a fable, myth, legend, folklore, etc. However narrative can be also written to teach or inform, to change attitudes/social opinion.

The Generic Structure :
a. Orientation : Sets the scene and introduces the participants.
b. Complication : A crisis arises.
c. Resolution : The crisis is resolved, for better or for worse.
d. Re-orientation : (optional)

The Typical Elements :
a. Setting : When and where the story occurs.
b. Characters : The most important people or characters in the story.
c. Initiating Event : An action or occurrence that establishes a problem and/or goal.
d. Conflict : The focal point around which the whole story is organized.
e. Events : One or more attempts by the main character(s) to achieve the goal or solve the problem.
f. Resolution : The outcome of the attempts to achieve the goal or solve the problem.
g. Theme : The main idea or moral of the story.

The Characteristics of Narrative Text :
a. Using the Simple Past Tense.
b. It’s started with adverb, such as long time ago, once upon a time, in a faraway land, etc.
c. Using the conjunctions, such as then, after, that, before, etc.