Narrative Text

Definition of Narrative

Narrative is a text focusing specific participants. Its social function is to tell stories or past events and entertain the readers.

Social Function      : To amuse and entertain the reader.

Generic Structure 

a.  Orientation           : Introducing the participants and informing the time and the place
                                   (sets the scene).
b.  Complication       : Describing the rising crises which the participants have to do with.
c.   Resolution           : Showing the way of participant to solve the crises, better or

                                        worse.

Significant language features

ü  Focus n specific participants
ü  Use material processes
ü  Behavioral processes, and verbal processes
ü  Use temporal conjuctions, and temporal circumstances,
ü  Use past tense.

Example of narrative text 

CINDERELLA

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Cinderella. She lived with her step mother and two step sisters.

The step mother and sisters were conceited and bad tempered. They treated Cinderella very badly. Her step mother made Cinderella do the hardest works in the house; such as scrubbing the floor, cleaning the pot and pan and preparing the food for the family. The two step sisters, on the other hand, did not work about the house. Their mother gave them many handsome dresses to wear.

One day, the two step sister received an invitation to the ball that the king’s son was going to give at the palace. They were excited about this and spent so much time choosing the dresses they would wear. At last, the day of the ball came, and away went the sisters to it. Cinderella could not help crying after they had left.

“Why are crying, Cinderella?” a voice asked. She looked up and saw her fairy godmother standing beside her, “because I want so much to go to the ball” said Cinderella. “Well” said the godmother,”you’ve been such a cheerful, hardworking, uncomplaining girl that I am going to see that you do go to the ball”.

Magically, the fairy godmother changed a pumpkin into a fine coach and mice into a coachman and two footmen. Her godmother tapped Cinderella’s raged dress with her wand, and it became a beautiful ball gown. Then she gave her a pair of pretty glass slippers. “Now, Cinderella”, she said; “You must leave before midnight”. Then away she drove in her beautiful coach.

Cinderella was having a wonderfully good time. She danced again and again with the king’s son. Suddenly the clock began to strike twelve, she ran toward the door as quickly as she could. In her hurry, one of her glass slipper was left behind.

A few days later, the king’ son proclaimed that he would marry the girl whose feet fitted the glass slipper. Her step sisters tried on the slipper but it was too small for them, no matter how hard they squeezed their toes into it. In the end, the king’s page let Cinderella try on the slipper. She stuck out her foot and the page slipped the slipper on. It fitted perfectly.

           Finally, she was driven to the palace. The king’s son was overjoyed to see her again. They were married and live happily ever after.

Narrative is a text focusing specific participants. Its social function is to tell stories or past events and entertain the readers.