Narration: When The Subjective
Meets The Objective
What is Narration?
*Typically, Narration involves the telling of an incident or episode that actually
happened and that illustrates a larger point. Narration is NOT fiction.
*Narrative essays can be objective – that is, telling a story that happened in history –
or they can be more subjective and personal
*For the final exam, you will write a narrative essay that is subjective and
personal, and it will contain an objective point – that is, prove something/impart a
lesson about life.
How Do We Write Narrative Essays?
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The introduction will set up your story/personal narrative, engaging us so
that we will want to read further.
Your thesis – the point you will prove through the story you tell - will need to
be explicitly stated in the introduction.
Your body paragraphs will develop the story, ensuring that the details support
the point you are proving
Your conclusion will need not to merely summarize the main events in your
narrative, but refer back to the thesis, from a fresh viewpoint, and with added
flair
Your narrative will need to follow a chronological sequence – that is, tell the
events in the order they happened
You will use sensory details for the setting, present the characters
authentically, and use dialogue when appropriate
Narrative Pitfalls to Avoid
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Choose a personal experience that actually happened to you; you can
improvise within if you wish, but do not choose an experience that happened
to someone else
Choose ONE experience, not several, as that would too complex and unwieldy
for the purposes of the essay
Ensure that the details adhere to your essay’s main point – do not allow
yourself to meander away from the thrust of what you are trying to prove
Essay Specifics
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This will be an in-class timed assignment on the last day of class (May 4/6)
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As such, it will be handwritten. Please use your best handwriting
You may use bullet-pointed notes developed in preparation for the
assignment, but you may not write the essay ahead of time and merely copy
it during the timed period. Notes will be checked prior to beginning the
essay.
The essay will include:
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A heading stating: Name/date/Final Exam: Narration
A catchy, to-the-point title
500 words minimum – 700 words maximum (between four and six pages)
Your topic proposal answers (from page 345)
The bullet-pointed notes you created to prepare for your essay