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August 25, 2008. Narrative Essays. Definition of Narration. Narration tells a story or retells events that happened in the past. Entire essays can be in narrative form: Explain an event in history Analyze the series of steps in a science experiment Report on a significant person’s life.
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August 25, 2008 Narrative Essays
Definition of Narration • Narration tells a story or retells events that happened in the past. • Entire essays can be in narrative form: • Explain an event in history • Analyze the series of steps in a science experiment • Report on a significant person’s life
Thesis Statement • All essays, including narratives, require a thesis statement. See examples on the top of page 84. • A thesis statement states in one sentence the main idea of the entire essay. • The thesis statement ensures your essay has a point (instead of just a boring series of events). • The thesis statement is stated in the introduction (first paragraph of the essay).
Parts of a Good Narrative Essay • Vivid details • Varying sentence structure (see bottom of 92 / top of 93) • Clear narrative order • Chronological order (like “God’s Footstool”) • Flashback (like “What’s in a Name”) • Accurate verb tenses* • Transitions* *Verb tense and transitions used in a narrative essay will help your reader keep his or her place in time.
“My Field of Dreams” • Thesis in the introduction • Accurate Verb tenses • Paragraph 4 “My dad played . . .I would go” and “other kids would wander off . . . I would sit and cheer. • Paragraph 6: “As we walked. . . my dad told me” • Transitions • Paragraph 2: “When I was little” • Paragraph 3: “Almost every summer afternoon” • Paragraph 4: “. . . and every Friday night” • Paragraph 8: “The next day” • How it can be improved • Use dialogue • State how old she was at the beginning of the essay and how many years passed