Unit One: Descriptive and Narrative Prose
What is Descriptive Prose? Introduces characters and setting It creates suspense or sustains a mood It gives a picture of something essential to a piece of literature Awakens our senses Explores the qualities of people, places, things, or events It calls on us to respond physically and emotionally
Descriptive Prose Narrative Prose Prose that describes characters or setting or both Narrative Prose Prose that tells a story Includes setting Includes plot Includes character Introduction One or more complications Climax Conclusion
Narrator’s Point of View The narrator is the story’s teller The narrator’s angle of vision or perspective affects the story’s telling First person Omniscient Limited omniscient Objective point of view or shifting point of view May be gendered
First Person Point of View Use of I or me “I saw” or “I heard” Storyteller is one of the characters main character or Minor character Storyteller is inside the story
Third Person Point of View Use of he or she Storyteller is an observer Storyteller is outside the story Free to introduce information to the reader where and when they choose
Types of Third Person Point of View Omniscient Point of View, p. 105 Use of he or she Storyteller is godlike observing all Storyteller is above the events Limited Omniscient Inside the head of usually one character--“limited” to one
Shifting Point of View p. 108 Point of view can shift from one character to another As an interpreter, recognize this shift so you can make it clear to your audience. Point of view can be from an objective third party
The Gender of Narration p. 111 Does the narrator’s voice have gender qualities? How can make this clear to an audience? Do male and female narrators speak differently? How can I distinguish this for an audience?
Narrative Prose Plot, p. 103 Setting, p. 103 Motivation What does your character want? What makes your character do what he/she does? Character Placement, p. 115 Diagram where each character looks whenever he/she speaks