The Elements of Narrative Writing
What is Narrative Writing? A type of writing that is designed to tell a story that is fictional
Some examples of narrative writing are: Plays Short stories Novels Novelettes Fairy tales Myths Picture and story books
The Elements of Narrative Writing Characters Setting Atmosphere Theme Plot
What are CHARACTERS? The animals, people, and creatures that play a role in the story
What is SETTING? The time and place the story occurs
What is ATMOSPHERE? The mood or feeling that is created by the author’s words
What is THEME? The central message or idea of the story. How the story connects to real life.
What is PLOT? The series of events in a piece of narrative writing
The Three Types of Plot Lines Flat Simple Complex
A flat plot line: Has little, if any, action. It contains no climax, just a beginning, middle, and end to the story
A simple plot line: Has an introduction, a rising action, a climax, a falling action, and a conclusion Has one peak of excitement; the action builds to this point and then falls off When it is drawn, it looks like a mountain with one peak
A complex plot line: Contains more than one climax or peak of excitement in the action and may end as a cliffhanger
How do you create a cartoon of the plot of a narrative text? Read the text, looking for the major events related to the story’s plot. Write a set of jot notes that capture these plot parts. Change these notes into well-written sentences. Read over these sentences to make sure they fit together well and capture the story’s basic plot. Proofread the sentences for mechanics. Write the sentences under the correct cartoon boxes. Draw sketches to capture the events. Label the cartoon. REMEMBER TO USE THE STRATEGY SHEET.
Cartoon of the Plot of _____________________________ Climax Rising Action Falling Action Introduction Conclusion A Simple Plot Line
Cartoon of the Plot of ____________________ Introduction Rising Action Climax (Conclusion) A Cliffhanger