{Narrative Writing

Dual Credit 1301

Tells a story be presenting events in an orderly, logical sequence.

Histories, biographies, autobiographies follow a narrative form (as do letters, journals, diaries, etc).

Narration is also a dominant pattern in many works of fiction.

It is all about relaying a story.

The style

In college writing, a narrative essay is more likely to present a series of events which support a thesis statement.

Remember: everything is an argument, so even the use of personal narrative should tie back to a broader more important point.

You can use either an explicit thesis statement (My negative experiences with online classes taught me to value the traditional classroom setting.), or you might choose to imply your thesis (The detachment of online classes can reinforce the value of the traditional classroom setting).

***most formal arguments will use the implied thesis, and that is certainly the preferred mode for this course. However, this particular assignment would work well with the implicit thesis statement. It’s always important to consider the audience and occasion of the argument in making this decision.

Developing a thesis

Be sure to include enough detail to create a picture for the reader (exact times, dates, geographic location, etc).

The use of detail adds interest and authenticity to your essay.

Detail

Many narratives present events in the exact order they occurred.

However, the use of chronological order largely depends on the purpose of your narrative (and your prompt).

See p. 85 in Patterns for more examples.

Order/Structure

Read “Only Daughter” by Sandra Cisneros, p. 97

What is her thesis? Is it explicit or implied?

What supporting details does she incorporate?

What order or structure does she impose on the essay? How are the events shared?

What is the impact of her father’s words?

For example. . .