Narrative Essay

Outline 2. The structure of a narrative essay. 1. What is a narrative essay? 2. The structure of a narrative essay. 3. Tips for writing a narrative essay. 4. Example essay study.

Objectives A. To know what is a narrative essay. B. To know its structure. C. To know how to write it yourself.

1. What is a narrative essay? IT IS AN ESSAY THAT TELLS A STORY WHILE STILL ARGUING SOMETHING. IMPORTANT ELEMENTS THAT MAKE UP A STORY: ＊SETTING ＊ THEME ＊ MOOD ＊ CHARACTERS ＊ PLOT

2. The Structure of a Narrative Essay A narrative essay usually has 3 parts: 1) The Introduction: the narrative hook and the thesis. 2) The Body: How do you tell your story? Include transitional sentences. 3) The Conclusion.

1) The Introduction THE NARRATIVE HOOK ＊ HOOKS HELP “SET THE STAGE” FOR THE STORY. ＊ THEY MAKE READERS START GUESSING ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. ＊ THE HOOK SHOULD MAKE THE READER ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ESSAY. (DO NOT START YOUR ESSAYS WITH HOOKS LIKE “HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED…?”)

Task 1 Read the sentences on the next slide. Which three of these sentences are NOT good hooks for narrative essays? Be ready to explain why you think these sentences do not work well as hooks for narrative essays.

___ The roar of racecar engines ripped through the blazing heat of the day. ___ It was freezing on that sad December day. ___ After my brother’s accident, I sat alone in the hospital waiting room. ___ My friend and I shouldn’t have been walking home alone so late on that dark winter night. ___ Whales are by far the largest marine mammals.

___ She gave her friend a birthday gift. ___ The gleaming snow lay over the treacherous mountain like a soft white blanket, making the terrain seem safe instead of deadly. ___ The Russian dictionary that we use in our language class has 500 pages. ___ Sandra never expected to hear the deadly sound of a rattlesnake in her kitchen garden.

1) The Introduction The thesis ＊ If you know the underlying theme of your narrative essay, you should include it in your thesis sentence. For example, if you are writing a narrative about a great one-day trip you took with friends, the thesis could be, “Spending time with close friends gives memories that can last forever, even if the trip is just one day." Condense the main ideas in your narrative into no more than one or two elements to find the theme.

2) The Body This part contains most of the plot – the supporting information. This is where you have the chance to tell your story The action in the plot can be organized in many different ways. The most common and easiest way is chronological order.

2) The Body Transitional Sentences In a chronological organization, each paragraph ends with a transitional sentence. Transitional sentences have two purposes: a.) to signal the end of action in one paragraph; b.) to provide a link to the action of the next paragraph.

3) The Conclusion In the concluding paragraph, you finish describing the action in the essay. The final sentence can have 2 functions: a.) It can deliver the moral for the story, or tell the reader what the character(s) learned from the experience. b.) It can make a prediction or a revelation about future actions that will happen as a result of the events in the story.

3) The Conclusion Look at these examples: Moral: The little boy had finally learned that telling the truth was the most important thing to do. Prediction/Revelation: Every Christmas Eve, my wife and I return to that magical spot and remember the selfless act that saved our lives.

4. Example Essay Study Task 2 Read and study the essay in the link on Moodle. Answer the following questions in your head and come prepared to talk about them. These questions will help you understand the content and the organization of the essay.

1.What is the narrative hook? 2.Do you think the hook is effective (did it grab your attention)? Why, or why not? 3. Where is the setting of this story (where does it take place)? 4. What is the theme, or the basic idea, of the essay? 5. What do you think the mood of the story is? What feeling or atmosphere does the writer create? 6.Who are the characters? 7. What verb tense is used in this narrative essay? Write down any five verbs. 8. Is the story arranged in chronological, or time, order? In a few words, describe what happens first, second, third, and so on. 9. Check for transitional sentences. 10. Does the story end with a moral or a revelation? If so, write it down.