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Elements of Creative Nonfiction English 10
Narrative Nonfiction Objective • In this lesson, you will evaluate the form and literary elements of narrative nonfiction.
Narrative Nonfiction Blending Genre:Narrative Nonfiction • Although most literature falls into a clear genre, such as fiction or nonfiction, writers can blend elements of various genres to explore an event or a character in a unique way. • Narrative nonfiction, also known as creative nonfiction, blends literary elements commonly found in fictional narratives and reflective nonfiction. This genre describes factual, real-life incidents in a vivid and engaging manner that is typically found in a narrative.
Narrative Nonfiction Writers of narrative nonfiction blend elements of narration such as plot, pacing, and point of view with various forms of nonfiction, such as the personal essay or memoir. For example, in a personal essay, while the information is based on real events, authors may offer their own thoughts and reflections on the factual details explored in the essay. If a writer blends such reflective nonfiction within a narrative structure, the result is narrative nonfiction.
Narrative Nonfiction • Narrative nonfiction has become increasingly popular in recent decades because of its blending of genres and exploration of realistic topics that readers can identify with. • Certain writing styles, such as New Journalism, were influential in establishing and developing the narrative nonfiction genre. New Journalism, considered to be the brainchild of Tom Wolfe, Truman Capote, and other writers was an American literary movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Journalists who were part of this movement used typical narrative storytelling techniques to report on culturally important events. Traditional newspapers resisted this imaginative style, and works of New Journalism were commonly published in literary magazines. • Journalists often offered up their subjective perceptions on the factual events they reported on.Some famous books to come out of this movement include Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Wolfe's book describes his experiences during the 1960s traveling with a group of hippies. This subculture was made up primarily of young people who rejected social norms. In particular, Wolfe wrote about Ken Kesey, a famous writer and activist. The book functions as a first-person narrative, but it provides factual insight into the 1960s counter-culture.
Narrative Nonfiction Which definition best describes the narrative nonfiction genre? The narrative nonfiction genre combines elements of narrative fiction and nonfiction by describing real-life stories and events using techniques such as plot, pacing, characterization, and point of view. The narrative nonfiction genre requires writers to use their imaginations and think up stories from scratch so that their works are completely original and not subject to issues of copyright and plagiarism. The narrative nonfiction genre takes a popular myth and uses it to explore a relevant social issue that is popular with many readers. The narrative nonfiction genre focuses on describing the lives and struggles of fictional characters within famous historical events.
Narrative Nonfiction Which definition best describes the narrative nonfiction genre? The narrative nonfiction genre combines elements of narrative fiction and nonfiction by describing real-life stories and events using techniques such as plot, pacing, characterization, and point of view.
Narrative Nonfiction Elements of Narrative Nonfiction To capture and understand the characteristics of narrative nonfiction, let’s examine the key elements of nonfiction and narration found in the genre. Reflection The subjects in this genre usually center on events of personal significance to the writer. For this reason, narrative nonfiction commonly exhibits elements of narrative reflection—writers provide their thoughts and views on the events and experiences that have colored their lives. Writers may also comment on the manner in which these experiences and people have influenced other aspects of their lives. In such cases, works of narrative nonfiction resemble the nonfiction genres of memoir or the personal essay because they serve as a platform for the writer’s personal views and opinions. Research and reflection are some of the chief elements of narrative nonfiction.
Narrative Nonfiction • Accuracy and Research • First and foremost, writers of narrative nonfiction base their stories on real events. Although narrative nonfiction typically reflects on the personal experience of the writer, a writer must accurately convey the people, places, and events that occur within the narrative. As a result, a writer may need to conduct extensive research so as not to compromise the truthfulness of the events and people discussed. Writers must fluidly and creatively blend accurate, researched-based details with narrative story-telling techniques. • The biography is another type of nonfiction that overlaps with narrative nonfiction as far as attention to facts. Like writers of narrative nonfiction, writers of biographies research details to ensure that their work is truthful and accurate. Unlike biographies, however, narrative nonfiction provides writers with more creative license to depict people, places, and events.
Narrative Nonfiction • Characterization • Similar to characters in a fiction narrative, characters in a work of nonfiction can be dynamic and undergo meaningful growth and change.The author may recall a memory of a person and use personal perception to further develop the character. The flexibility of the narrative nonfiction genre allows the writer to fictionalize or blur certain elements of a character or event. Because a writer doesn’t know the full and truthful motives or thoughts of a person, this genre gives license for writers to develop and fictionalize certain features of an actual person. • Writers may use engaging dialogue to make characters distinct from one another and grant them a degree of individuality. Narrative nonfiction allows the writer to develop a particular conflict (such as character versus society) for characters that may simplify or not precisely portray the person’s actual life.
Narrative Nonfiction • Plot • The plot of a narrative nonfiction work may follow the structure of a fictional novel, starting with the element of exposition and moving on to rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. This narrative structure allows the writer to bring cohesion and resolution to real-life events that may not have been so clearly defined.
Narrative Nonfiction • Narration and Point of View • Sometimes works of nonfiction, like biographies, may chronicle the life of a person over a span of years. In narrative nonfiction, writers use techniques such as time sequencing to jump to or between critical parts of the story. The writer may also use flash-forward or flashback to move through the plot. Narrative pacing also enables writers to slow down or speed up the pace of the story to emphasize critical moments. • As with other narrative forms, writers of narrative nonfiction can use different narrative point of views, but first person and third person are the most common. First-person narration enables writers to express their personal views about real-life people and events. In third person, the perspective is limited for writers because they cannot accurately understand the internal thoughts and motivations of the real people represented by their characters. Instead, writers must use what they've learned or observed about the actual people to develop the characters and events.
Narrative Nonfiction “My Brother Paul” by Theodore Dreiser • Theodore Dreiser was born in 1871 in Terre Haute, Indiana. His parents were poor, and because of the hardships he faced early in his life, he grew cynical toward the so-called American dream. As a result, many of his works are marked by disillusionment. • Dreiser’s Twelve Men, published in 1919, is a collection of narrative nonfiction pieces describing 12 men who influenced Dreiser’s life. Read “My Brother Paul,” a story from this collection. As you read, consider how Dreiser combines elements of nonfiction and fiction.
Narrative Nonfiction Analysis • Theodore Dreiser’s “My Brother Paul” can be seen as a tribute to the life and memory of his brother Paul. It begins with his earliest recollection of his brother, who is 14 years older than Dreiser. This blending of reflection and storytelling work together to build a rich picture of Paul and the ways that he influenced Dreiser. • Dreiser talks about Paul’s relationship with their mother, who seemed to be the most important person in Paul’s life. Paul laughed, cried, and shared all his concerns with his mother.After her death, the mere mention of her would bring tears to his eyes. Dreiser uses this memory, and others, to show the reader that Paul was a devoted and sympathetic person. • Certain events that Dreiser describes are meant to have an emotional effect on readers. One is Paul’s reconciliation with Dreiser after a brief period of indifference and estrangement.Paul reconciles with Dreiser in the spirit of Christmas. Dreiser then convinces Paul to check on their estranged sister, who is in the same city, and whose husband has just left her. Paul’s actions enable the siblings to reconnect and reunite.
Narrative Nonfiction Analysis • Dreiser portrays Paul as compassionate and always willing to help his family, friends, associates, and anybody he considered to be down and out, to the point that Dreiser thought it was a detriment. Dreiser describes a particularly stressful time in his own life when Paul reaches out to him, convinces Dreiser to live with him, and later sets Dreiser up at a friend’s house, rent-free, until Dreiser can get back on his feet. Such actions show that perhaps they shared a parent-child dynamic, rather than a typical relationship between siblings. • Paul encourages Dreiser to pursue his passion for writing.When Dreiser gives Paul the idea of writing a song about something related to their home state of Indiana, Paul asks him to write the lyrics. Encouraged by his brother, Dreiser writes the lyrics for one of Paul’s most famous songs “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away” which refers to the Wabash River of Indiana. The success of the song likely boosted Dreiser’s confidence as a writer.
Narrative Nonfiction Analysis • Perhaps the most sobering part of the story is when Dreiser relates the events leading up to Paul’s death. Somewhere amid the glamour and white lights of Broadway, Paul loses his will to live. He no longer has interest in working as a writer or actor. Eventually, he runs out of money and has to move in with his sister. • The doctor diagnoses Paul with pernicious anemia and says he doesn’t have long to live. It seems that Dreiser envisioned Paul's illness two years before it actually happened, testifying to the strength of the brothers’ bond.This is an excellent representation of how Dreiser ties the narrative elements in with the true events as they unfold. • Dreiser ends the story by remembering how his brother used to light up Broadway. He recognizes the innate genius and artistry of his brother. He celebrates Paul's life rather than grieving for his death.
Narrative Nonfiction Analysis • Dreiser’s “My Brother Paul” is an example of narrative nonfiction. The story has strong narrative qualities such as a coherent plot, dynamic characters, conflict development, resolution, and engaging dialogue.These narrative qualities overlap with prose fiction. Dreiser also uses time jumps in his story to move between events. • The narrative blends the genres of fiction and nonfiction for greater storytelling flexibility. For example, Dreiser uses the essay style and voice to point out specific details about his brother’s character. He then introduces elements of narrative fiction, such as indirect characterization and dialogue, to highlight the points about Paul that have previously been made.
Narrative Nonfiction Analysis • We see the effect of this blending of genres in the blind beggar incident. Before narrating the incident, Dreiser comments on how his brother had a sympathetic nature, but he was simultaneously very mischievous and couldn’t help sprinkling his charitable acts with a touch of “ridiculousness.” Prior to going into the details of this incident, Dreiser lets his readers know that words cannot fully capture his brother: • It is useless to try to indicate such things in writing, the facial expression, the intonation, the gestures; these are not things of words. • Dreiser's comment sets up the indirect characterization of Paul that follows. He goes on to tell a story about his brother’s sweet and humorous interaction with a beggar. The two styles combine to leave the reader with a rich and nuanced impression of his brother.
Memoirs Objective • In this lesson, you will examine the literary elements of memoirs.
Memoirs Memoirs: Exploring Past Experiences • Some nonfiction genres focus on an author's observations or experiences. One example is the memoir. • Memoirs are nonfiction texts in which authors provide a first-person account of something they recollect from their lives.
Memoirs However, a memoir is not a random collection of memories. The writer, called a memoirist, tries to find some meaning in the events and shape them so that readers understand why the memoir is important. Often, a memoirist tries to relate the past events in the memoir to the present.
Memoirs Problems with memoirs: • Because memoirs represent memory rather than historical facts, minor details may be inaccurate. • Such minor inaccuracies or inconsistencies in a memoir are acceptable to readers. • But because a memoir is an account of one person’s memories, readers understand that the content may not always be factually or historically accurate.
Memoirs Differences between memoirs and historical texts • The less stringent need for historical accuracy is one difference between a memoir and a history. • Another difference between a memoir and a historical text is that a memoir typically involves the writer within the events. • This personal, subjective viewpoint may change as a person grows older.Therefore, a memoir’s contents will vary depending on when events occurred in relation to when the memoir is written.
Memoirs Differences in memoir and autobiography: • An autobiography deals with a large part of the author’s life, while a memoir focuses on a few specific incidents. • A memoir relies mostly on memory, while an autobiography may rely on multiple external sources such as documentary records. • Accuracy is more important in an autobiography than in a memoir.
Memoirs Differences in memoir and autobiography: • If you write a book that records your life's major events and experiences from your birth, you'll end up with an autobiography. • On the other hand, if you want to recall your experience of adopting a pet, watching it grow, and the significant events surrounding it, your work is a memoir.
Memoirs Structures and forms of memoirs: • Chronological: The memoir follows the order in which incidents happened. This structure is common in memoirs. • Cause and effect: The memoir revolves around a significant event and how life was different before and after it. • List: As a more experimental approach, memoirs can also be structured as a list. The writer explores the significance of an event through a list of descriptive items that develop the writer’s reflection over multiple points in time. • Narrative: Memoirs can also include stronger narrative elements to relive and provide reflection about a particular experience. This structure can provide storytelling qualities while reflecting on a true event.
