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Is it
narrative, or is it not?
The story has been told and we are left wondering………..
how did they get into that mess? How did all those problems arise? We
are amazed, too, that it was all sorted out in the end, and that there
were happy outcomes.
It all started in America, when Jane visited her
relatives during the Christmas holidays. She was just settling down to
enjoy herself when it all began to happen. First, the nasty letters
began to arrive, then her cousin Elizabeth suddenly and mysteriously
disappeared. It wasn’t long before the ransom note arrived. Elizabeth
had been kidnapped! What should the family do? Should they go to the
police? Elizabeth’s father decided to do a bit of detective work
himself. He was a top executive and he had recently sacked an employee.
Sure enough, his inquiries revealed thatthe past employee had gone out
of town. His landlady said that he gone to visit relatives and he had
been seen driving his car along the road out of town. It was now time
for Elizabeth’s father to go to the police. It was not long before the
police discovered the hideout. Soon Elizabeth was returned safely to her
home in time for a happy Christmas.
The question is, “Is this a narrative?” We need to
consider the special features of a narrative:
First,
in a traditional narrative, the focus of the text is on a series of
actions, i.e. orientation, complication or problem and resolution.
·
Characters are
defined with distinct personalities/identities.
·
Dialogue is often
included.
·
Descriptive language
is used to create images in the reader’s mind and to enhance the story.
Now we need to consider the structure of a narrative,
with a closer look at the series of actions within the story:
·
In the orientation,
the characters are introduced and the setting and timing of the story
are established. This is when we think Who? When? Where? eg. (from the
story above) Jane is visiting her relatives inAmerica during the
Christmas holidays. It is the orientation that claims our attention and
engages us in the story.
·
Then a complication
occurs, or a series of complications. This is when the story becomes
really exciting and we can’t put the book down. The complications
usually lead to a climax involving some sort of drama.
·
A resolution needs to
be found, either for better or worse, happily or unhappily. If there are
a series of complications, interest and suspense are added and sustained
for the reader. When it is all over, we breathe a sigh of relief and
feel happy, or we may have a few tears and feel sad.
We can now return to the outline of the story above, and
ask the questions:
·
Is there an
orientation?
·
Were there
complications?
·
Was there a
resolution?
If the answers to these questions are “Yes”, then the
story is indeed a narrative. If the answers are “No”, then maybe it is a
recount or an anecdote from somebody’s life.
How does this relate to speechmaking?
For the storytelling assignment, the Master Manual
suggests that:
1. You select a story with a plot.
2. Know what the story is about.
3. There needs to be a climax.
4. Select events that are necessary to the narrative.
5. Consider how much description to involve.
6. Decide if you want to include dialogue, and, if so,
what type of dialogue to use. Sometimes, speakers include recounts of
personal anecdotes in their speeches. These recounts are not to be
confused with narratives. In another article, I will outline the
features of a recount and look at the differences between narratives and
recounts.
Judith Mayell
Brisbane Central
Communicators.
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