2. What is Narration?
• Narration means telling a single story or
several related stories.
• Narration lends to force an opinion, triggers
the flow of memory and evoles places, times
and people in ways that are compelling and
affecting.
Longman P 163
3. The Epiphany
A narrative essay shows an insight the writer gained from
his / her experience (called an “epiphany”).
• A turning point in your life--perhaps a time when you
were forced suddenly to grow up, a time when you faced
a difficult challenge, or a time when you reassessed your values.
Common narrative essay topics include:
• Being exposed to a culture different from your own
• Immigration / Emigration
5. Prewriting Strategies
• When writing the narrative essay you will
want to first select the event or instance that
will be the topic
• After this step, you then will want to identify
your conflict or point of view for the topic
Longman p163-165
6. Strategies for Using Narration
• Identify the point of the narrative conflict – it
is up to the author to convey the significance
or meaning of the event’s conflict.
• Develop only those details that advance the
narrative point – the author needs to stay on
point and not defer fro the topic or become
redundant
Longman p 165
7. Organizing the narrative sequence
• Not all narratives begin
“once upon a time”
• It is up to the author to
determine the time
sequence
– Chronologically
– Flashback
– Flash-foward
Longman p 167
8. Strategies Continued
• Make the narrative essay easy to follow – each
paragraph should have a clear focus and prepare
the reader for what is next
• Make the narrative vigorous and immediate - a
compelling narration holds the reader’s attention.
• Be consistent with your point of view and verb
tense – you may be going back and forth in time,
but do not do this in the same paragraph.
Longman p 170
10. The Narrative Essay Format
The narrative essay moves the reader towards some
insight into the experience. Such essays have a basic,
three-part organizational framework:
Beginning Middle Ending
11. Patterns of Organization
Organizational Pattern 1
Retell the first stage of
the experience
Beginning
Continue describing
the experience
Middle
Discuss the epiphany
(the meaning of the experience)
Ending
12. Patterns of Organization
Organizational Pattern 2
Provide background information
and a focal point or insight / epiphany
Beginning
Describe in detail the experience(s)
that led to the insight / epiphany
Middle
Reflect on the experience, for
example, by discussing its deeper
meaning, implication, or irony.
Ending
13. Patterns of Organization
Organizational Pattern 3
Provide background information
and a question about your topic.
Beginning
Describe in detail the experience(s)
that lead to an answer to the question
you raised in the beginning.
Middle
Answer the question you raised in
the beginning, or explain why the
question cannot be answered.
Ending
14. Your Assignment
• Compose a 3-5 page narrative essay on a topic of your
choice
– It is suggested (but not required) that your essay relates to
your program of study
• The essay should be double spaced in 12 pt. Arial or
Calibri font with standard margins
• There should be no “Title Page” for this assignment.
• If you use any outside sources of information, you must
document these sources using MLA style and provide a
list of sources at the end of the paper.
