Narrative Text

 A. The definition of narrative text

Narrative text is a story with complication or problematic events and it tries to find the resolutions to solve the problems. An important part of narrative text is the narrative mode, the set of methods used to communicate the narrative through a process narration.

B. The purpose of narrative text

The Purpose of Narrative Text is to amuse or to entertain the reader with a story.

C. Generic Structures of Narrative Text

1) Orientation

In this paragraph, we introduce the main story, character / character, place, also the time of the story that we want to write, friend.

2. Complication

In this section, we can write down the conflict in the story to its climax. In writing a conflict there are also 4 different things, namely:

a. Physical: marked by physical conflict between characters.

b. Natural: marked by conflicts between characters and matters related to natural forces.

c. Social: marked by a meeting between figures, but with different interests.

d. Psychological: characterized by a conflict within oneself between choosing good or bad things, an arrogant or humble nature, it can also be a conflict between being greedy or not.

3. Evaluation 

This section is optional, usually containing an insertion of an assessment or evaluation of the story or conflict.

4. Resolution

Friend, in this section we can show you the solution or resolution of the existing conflict. Well, the ending can be happy or sad. However, the writer can play with this part by providing another problem that makes the reader curious. Usually this curiosity is deliberately raised in the type of mystery story.

5. Re-orientation 

The last part of the narrative text is optional too, buddy. As writers, we can give readers moral messages, suggestions, or lessons learned in the closing section that come from the story.

D. The Characteristics / Language Feature of Narrative Text

– Past tense (killed, drunk, etc)

– Adverb of time (Once upun a time, one day, etc)

– Time conjunction (when, then, suddenly, etc)

– Specific character. The character of the story is specific, not general. (Cinderella, Snow White, Alibaba, etc)

– Action verbs. A verb that shows an action. (killed, dug, walked, etc)

– Direct speech. It is to make the story lively. (Snow White said,”My name is Snow White). The direct speech uses present tense.

E. Several types of narrative text:

1. Adventure story

2. Fairy tales

Stories where the characters are animals, but show human-like behavior such as talking.

3. Fairy tales

Stories that are generally fantasy in nature or full of magic.

4. Historical narrative

5. Horror stories

6. Legend

The stories are told on facts, but the characters don't really exist.

7. Myth

The story tries to explain about the world and how we should react to it.

8. Mystery

9. Science fiction

10. A slice of life

Example narrative text

THE LAST LEAF

Many artists lived in Greenwich Village in New York City. Sue and Johnsy, two artists, also lived there in a studio apartment. Their rooms were at the top of old building in Greenwich Village.

In November, it was very cold and with it a cold unseen stranger, whom the doctors called Phenumonia, stalked the city, tocuhing one here and there with his icy fingers. The icy finger of Phenumonia also touched Johnsy. She was very ill, lying in her bed and not moving at all. A doctor visited her every day but Johnsy was not getting better. One morning, the doctor spoke to Sue outside johnsy’s room.

“I can’t help her,” the doctor said. “She is very sad and has no desire to live. Someone must make her happy again. What is she interested in?” “Painting!” said the doctor. “That won’t help her!”

Sue was distressed by this news and didn’t know what to do to help Johnsy. She went into in the workroom and cried and then she swaggered into Johnsy’s room with her drawing board, whistling ragtime. Johnsy lay silently in her bed with her face towards the window. Sue stopped whistling, thinking Johnsy was asleep.

Sue arrange her board and began drawing to illustrate a magazine story. As Sue was sketching a figure of a hero, an Idaho cowboy, she heard a low sound, several times repeated. She went quickly to the bedside.

Johnsy’s eyes were open wide. She was looking out the window and counting-counting backwards.

“Twelve,” she said, and little later “eleven”; and then “ten,’ and “nine”; and then “eight” and “seven”, almost together.

Sue looked out of the window wondering what was there to count. There was only a bare, dreary yard to be seen, and the blank side of the brick house twenty feet away. An old, old ivy vine, gnarled and decayed at the roots, climbed half way up the brick wall. The cold breath of autumn has stricken its leaves from the vine until its skeleton branchesclung, almost barem to the crumbling bricks.

“What is it, dear?” asked Sue.

“Six,” said johnsy, in almost a whisper. ” They’re falling faster now. three days ago there were almost a hundred. My head ached when I was counting them but now it’s easy. There goes another one. There are only five left now.

“Five what, dear/ tell me.”

“Leaves on the ivy vine. When the last one dalls I must go, too, I’ve known that for three days. Didn’t the doctor tell you?”

“Oh, i never heard of such nonsense,” complained Sue, with magnificent scorn. “What have old ivy leaves to do with your getting well? Try to sleep,” said Sue. “I must call Behrman up to be my model for the old hermit miner. I’ll not be gone a minute. Don’t cry to move till come back.”

Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor of the same building. He was sizty years old and had always dreamed of painting a masterpiece, but unfortunately till now he was not able to fulfill his dream. Sue found Behrman in his dimly lighted apartment sitting in his chair. She told him of Johnsy’s condition. Old Behrman, with his red eyes plainly streaming, shouted his contempt and derision for such idiotic imaginings.

Johnsy was sleeping when they went upstairs. Sue pulled the shade down to the windowsill, and motioned Behrman into the other room. in ther they peered out the window fearfully at the ivy vine. Then they looked at each other for a moment without speaking. A persistent, cold rain was falling, mingled with snow. When Sue awoke from an hour’s sleep the next morning, she found Johnsy with dull, wide-open eyes staring at the drawn greens shade.

“Pull it up; I want to see,” she ordered, in whisper. Wearily Sue obeyed. “It is the last one,” said Johnsy. It will fall today, and I shall die at the same time.” “Dear, dear!” said Sue, leaning her worn face down to the pillow, “think of me, id you won’t think of yourself. What would I do? But Johnsy did not answer.

The leaf stayed on the vine all day. That night, there was more wind and rain. When it was light enough, Johnsy commanded that shade be raised. The ivy leaf was still there.

I’ve been a foolish girl, Sue,” said Johnsy. :I wanted to die but the last leaf stayed on the vine to teach me a lesson. Please bring me some soup now.” “you know Sue, some day I hope to paint the Bay of Naples.”

The doctor visited the girls in the afternoon. “Take good care of your friend,” he said. “She is going to get well. Now I have to go downstairs. I have to visit Mr. Behrman. He has pneumonia too. I must send him to the hospital.

The next day, the doctor said to Sue: “She’s out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now that’s all.” And that afternoon Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay, contentedly knitiing a woolen shoulder scarf. “I have something to tell you, dear,” she said. “Mr. Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was ill only two days. The janitor found him the morning of the first dat in his room downstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were wet through and icy cold. They couldn’t imagine where he had been on such a dreadful night. And then they found a lantern, still lighted, and a ladder that had been dragged from its place, and some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixed on it, and look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn’t you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? ah, darling, it’s Behrman’s masterpiece – he painted it there the night that the last leaf fall. (Adapted from The Last Leaf by O. Henry, 1907).

1. The story is based on multiple themes like love, sacrifice, hope, belief and pessimism. Which one do you think is more obvious in the story? Why? Give evidence to support your answer.

2. Why does Sue call "the last leaf" as Behrman's masterpiece? Do you think it was a masterpiece? 

3. Were you surprised at the ending of the story? Did you think it would differently? Why?

4. Painting the picture on the wall resulted in Mr. Behrman's death. Do you think he would still have painted the leaf if he known that it would result in his death?

5. If you were in Sue's shoes how would you have reacted to Johnsy's irrational thoughts? Describe

6. Why do you think Mr. Behrman made such a sacrifice?

7. What would you have done if you were in Mr. Behrman's place?

8.  What is the greatest sacrifice you have ever made for tour family or friends?

9. Describe Mr. Behrman's personality based on the story?

10. Why do you think Johnsy never noticed that the last leaf never fluttered or moved even though it was raining heavily?

Answer

1. "Hope" is the one that i think more obvious in the story. Because in the end of the story the last leaf gave Jhonsy hope. Jhonsy was believed that she will die when the last leaf fall. But,in the fact,the leaf never fall. And it's gave Jhonsy some extra passion to survive.

2. Because Sue think that it is the leaf that make her friend's "living-desire" returned. And i think it make-sense to call tha last leaf masterpiece.

3. Yes,I was surprised at the ending of the story. I thought the ending will be like Behrman's will not volunteered to help Sue that asked him to draw a leaf on the window. And Johnsy will passed.

4. He had known it would result to his death. He said " some day i shall paint my masterpiece, and we shall all go away from here."

5. I will stay with my friend even though he has an irrational thoughts. Cause we don't know when we will sick or die. We will need someone to take care of us.

6. Because he believed that he was a special duty to do everything possible to help sue and johnsy, and he believed that his masterpiece could help to make johnsy better from her condition.

7. If i were mr behrman, i would have done like it. i am old man and i don't have anything to make me usefulness for the others.

8. The greatest sacrifice i have ever made for my family is: make my parents proud. it's really very hard for me. when my friend asked me to play with them, i should study hard at home. i use my spare time to do something useful, helps my parents, my sisters and do what the best i do.

9. Behrman is a person who wants others to be happy. Although when for the first time sue told him about Jhonsy's fantasies about the leaf he reacted very badly but to give Jhonsy moral support which can be provided to her by preventing the last leaf from falling he risked his life and painted a picture of the last leaf on the opposite wall in the terrible cold weather. he is a down to earth person and a gem in millions.

10. Because Johnsy compared her life with number of leaves. when the number of leaves going to decrease the expectation of life also become decreased. when she looked out side she found that the leaf is there, she felt energetic towards life.

After reading the last leaf story:

1. Have you taken care of a very sick person? How was it like? Describe your

experience. (write it down in the comment below!)

2. Write a short narrative story about your experience. What is the greatest sacrifice you have ever made for your family or friends? Describe it and publish it in your blog!