1. Narration The Bedford reader chapter 4
The Methods of Engaging a Reader
Narration The Bedford reader chapter 4

2. Narration in advertisements
Turn to pages 80-81
Look at the advertisement and answer the questions in the blue box

3. What does “dynamic Tension” involve?

4. discuss
Turn to an elbow partner and discuss. Be ready to share

5. Telling a story Let’s read pages 82-83 together Anecdotes add: Color
Specifics
Are memorable

6. The process
Every story has a purpose
Read “Purpose and Shape” p. 83

7. The thesis In narration there is no formal thesis
However, by the end of the
writing a thesis should be
obvious

8. The narrator in the story
Narratives report personal experience
narrator=speaker
First person=“I”
Third person=“he” she” “they”

9. Tense of text
Unlike writing about literature, a narrated story can be…
Present tense (I stare, he stares)
Past tense (I stared, he stared)

10. What to Emphasize
You need to tell the whole story (think of a newspaper article)
What happened?
Who took part/
When?
Where?
Why did it take place?
How did it happen?

11. Scene Versus Summary Two main strategies of narration:
Tell it by scene
As if it were a movie, vivid description
Turn to page Read the scene and record what the author is doing
Tell it in summary
Relate events concisely
Just the essentials

12. assignment
Write two paragraphs, one as a summary and one as a scene. Write the same story but in these two different narrative ways.
Topic:
The main character (you can name them) travels forward in time.

13. Chapter 4 Day two Organization of narration
Chronological: the order in which it happens
“in medias res” (in the middle of things): a dramatic event
Flashback

14. Verbs, verbs, verbs Narration is heavily dependent upon verbs to
Clarify
Enliven
Ex:
Weak: The wind made an awful noise.
Strong: The wind roared around the house and rattled the trees.

15. Verb exercise Sentence “My leg hurts," she ____ Speaker is Feeling
Alternative to Said
" I found it on the field. Don't tell anyone," he ____
"It's mine I found it. Give it back," he ____
"It's mine I found it! Give it back now,"  he ____

16. Verbs you could have used:
yelled    
shouted
growled
bellowed
exclaimed
roared   
grumbled 
stammered
sobbed
whimpered 
cried     
pleaded
whispered
mumbled
interrupted
retorted   
continued
explained
squealed 
laughed 
replied    
warned
objected
asked
answered

17. Activity
Now choose 10 words from the previous slide and write a short story using all 10.
(I was going for “squealed” here”) 

18. Narration in Paragraphs
Writing about television: let’s read page 90

19. Narration in practice
Turn to page 91. Let’s read narration in a letter.

20. “The Chase” by annie dillard
Page 104. Let’s read

21. Journal writing Every essay includes a journal prompt
You will title it “Journal” and respond on the same page as the notes
Let’s respond!

22. questions Every essay has three types of questions:
Questions on Meaning
Questions on Writing Strategy
Questions on Language
You will always answer all of these questions

23. Suggestions for writing
Each mode will have several suggestions for writing
I will (most of the time) assign which one you will do
You will write #2 (page 108)