Speech 1010
Public Speaking
Mrs. Christianson
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 writers
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.
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.
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?
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?
Show, Dont Tell: Dont 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: Its 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
selection.
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.
