Speech 1010 Public Speaking Mrs. Christianson

Transcription

1 Speech 1010 Public Speaking Mrs. Christianson

2 Narrative = tells a story. It has character, setting, and action. The characters, the setting, and the problem of the narrative are usually introduced in the beginning. The problem reaches its high point in the middle. The ending resolves the problem.

3 The purpose of this type of writing is to recount a personal or fictional experience or to tell a story based on a real or imagined event. In well-written narration, a writer uses insight, creativity, drama, suspense, humor, or fantasy to create a central theme or impression. The details all work together to develop an identifiable story line that is easy to follow and paraphrase.

4 Writing Situation: Everyone has done something that he or she will remember. Directions for Writing: Before you begin writing, think about something you have done that you will always remember. Now tell the story about a time you did something that you will always remember.

5 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 fused with other memories that a lot of the time spent in writing narrative is in the prewriting stage.

6 In the prewriting 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.

7 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. 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.

8 Narratives are generally written in the first person, that is, using I. Narrative rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point. These details should create a unified, forceful effect, a dominant impression. Narratives, as stories, should include these story elements: a plot, including setting and characters; a climax; and an ending. Narratives incorporate dialogue.

9 1. What experiences have made you feel really happy or very sad? 2. What experiences have been very alarming or really frightening? 3. What experiences have made you feel proud of yourself? 4. What have been the most difficult tasks you have had to undertake? 5. What contests or games have you tried hard to win? 6. What experiences have made you feel ashamed of yourself? 7. What experiences have made you realize that you truly care about someone? 8. What experiences have made you laugh?

10 1. What needs to be explained about setting? 2. What do we need to know about characters? 3. What initiates or begins the action? 4. What does main character attempt to do? 5. What are the results? 6. How does the character respond? 7. What do characters say to each other?

11 Show, Don t Tell: Don t tell the reader what he or she is supposed to think or feel. Let the reader see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the experience directly, and let the sensory experiences lead him or her to your intended thought or feeling. Let People Talk: It s amazing how much we learn about people from what they say. One way to achieve this is through carefully constructed dialogue. Work to create dialogue that allows the characters personalities and voices to emerge through unique word

12 Choose a Point of View: Most personal narratives are told from the first-person limited point of view. Tone: The tone of your narrative should set up an overall feeling. How do you want your audience to feel when they finish your piece? Careful word choice can help achieve the appropriate effect.