Narration involves telling one or more related stories to support a main idea. It speaks powerfully to readers because experiences of others shed light on our own lives. Narration brings force to opinions and evokes places and times compellingly. Effective narration reveals something important, includes major story events in clear chronological order with descriptive details, and conveys the narrative's significance and point. Narration can be used as a supplemental or dominant essay structure. Specific sensory details that advance the narrative point should be developed while excluding unnecessary information. Consistent point of view and verb tense help readers experience the story.

1. Narration

2. What is Narration?
• “Narration means telling a single story or several
related stories”
• The story can be a way to support a main idea or
thesis
• “Narration speaks to us strongly because it is
about us; we want to know what happened to
others, not simply because we’re curious, but
because their experiences shed light on the
nature of our own lives”
• “Narration lends force to opinions, triggers the
flow of memory, and evokes places and times in
ways that are compelling and affecting”

3. 4 Basics of Narration
– It reveals something of importance to the writer
– It includes all the major events of the story
(primary support)
– It brings the story to life with details about the
major events (secondary support)
– It presents the events in a clear order, usually
according to when they happened

4. How Narration Fits your Purpose and
Audience
• Narration can be used as either a
supplemental or dominant pattern of
development

5. Using Narration in an Essay
• “Convey the significance of meaning…[or]
narrative point/thesis”
• *Develop only those details that advance the
narrative point*
• “A good narrative depends not only on what is
included, but also on what has been left out”
• The main point is what is important about the
story
• The thesis/main point should include the topic
and the main point the writer wants to make
(115)

6. Using Narration Continued…
• “Summarize details that have some
importance but do not deserve lengthy
treatment. And try to limit narrative
commentary—statements that tell rather than
show what happened since such remarks
interrupt the narrative flow. Focus instead on
the specifics that propel action forward in a
vigorous way.”

7. Timing
• Chronological order
• Flashback
• Flashforward

8. An Effective Narrative: Organization
• “Describing each distinct action in a separate
paragraph helps the readers grasp the flow of events.
Although narrative essays don’t always have
conventional topic sentences, each narrative
paragraph should have a clear focus.”
• Use time signals: now, then, next, after, and later
• “A compelling narrative provides an abundance of
specific details, making readers feel as if they’re
experiencing the story being told. Readers must be
able to see, hear touch, smell, and taste the event
you’re narrating. Vivid sensory description is,
therefore, an essential part of an effective narrative.”

9. Helpful Tips: POV and Tense
• “Keep your point of view and verb tense consistent.”
• “First person allows you to express ordinarily private thoughts
and to re-create an event as you actually experienced it. This
point of view is limited, though, in its ability to depict the
inner thoughts of other people involved in the event.”
• “Third person makes it easier to provide insight into the
thoughts of all the participants. However, its objective, broad
prospective may undercut some of the subjective immediacy
of the “I was there” point of view.”
• Usually past tense is used with narratives; past tense can be
used “to span a considerable amount of time.”
• Present tense can be used to indicate urgency or immediacy.
Present tense “prolongs each moment.” If the action is not
fast-paced, the present tense may be inappropriate.

10. Group work time!
• Get into groups of 4 or 5 and get ready to find
these narrative techniques in “Chili Cheese
Dogs, My Father, and Me” (625).