Minggu, 29 Januari 2012

Narrative Text

Hello readers! How are you? I hope tou are fine in there :)
Now, I will tell you about Narrative text.

Narrative text is a text which tells you about story. The function of this text is to entertain.
The story is fiction, such as legend, tales, and short story.
A narrative consists of several parts:

  • Orientation, This part introduces characters and/or sets the scene (when/where)
  • Complication(s), In this part, the main character is faced a problem
  • Resolution(s), This part tells how the problem is resolved. for better or worse
An example of a narrative: 

The Myth of Malin Kundang

A long time ago, in a small village near the beach in West Sumatra, a woman and her son lived. They were Malin Kundang and her mother. Her mother was a single parent because Malin Kundang's father had passed away when he was a baby. Malin Kundang had to live hard with his mother.
Malin Kundang was a healthy, dilligent, and strong boy. He usually went to sea to catch fish. After getting fish he would bring it to his mother, or sold the caught fish in the town.   
One day, when Malin Kundang was sailing, he saw a merchant's ship which was being raided by a small band of pirates. He helped the merchant. With his brave and power, Malin Kundang defeated the pirates. The merchant was so happy and thanked to him. In return the merchant asked Malin Kundang to sail with him. To get a better life, Malin Kundang agreed. He left his mother alone.
Many years later, Malin Kundang became wealthy. He had a huge ship and was helped by many ship crews loading trading goods. Perfectly he had a beautiful wife too. When he was sailing his trading journey, his ship landed on a beach near a small village. The villagers recognized him. The news ran fast in the town; “Malin Kundang has become rich and now he is here”.
An old woman ran to the beach to meet the new rich merchant. She was Malin Kundang’s mother. She wanted to hug him, released her sadness of being lonely after so long time. Unfortunately, when the mother came, Malin Kundang who was in front of his well dressed wife and his ship crews denied meeting that old lonely woman. For three times her mother begged Malin Kundang and for three times he yelled at her. At last Malin Kundang said to her "Enough, old woman! I have never had a mother like you, a dirty and ugly woman!" After that he ordered his crews to set sail. He would leave the old mother again but in that time she was full of both sadness and angriness.  
Finally, enraged, she cursed Malin Kundang that he would turn into a stone if he didn't apologize. Malin Kundang just laughed and really set sail.
In the quiet sea, suddenly a thunderstorm came. His huge ship was wrecked and it was too late for Malin Kundang to apologize. He was thrown by the wave out of his ship. He fell on a small island. It was really too late for him to avoid his curse. Suddenly, he turned into a stone.


The myth of Malin Kundang is from West Sumatra, Indonesia. The message from that text is we musn't faithless to older people, such as our parents. 
The other narratives from Indonesia are Bawang Merah dan Bawang Putih (Java), Kebo Iwa (Bali),  Rawa Pening (Java), etc

A narrative mainly used past tense. However, present tense can also be used within dialogues.
Language features in a narrative:
  • Use of nouns, example: stepsisters, housework, etc.
  • Use of adjectives to form noun phrases, example: long black hair, two red apples, etc.
  • Use of time connectives to order the events, example: then, before, after, soon, etc.
  • Use of adverbs and adverbial phrases, example: here, in the mountain, happily ever after, etc.
  • Use of action verbs in past tense, example: stayed, climbed, etc.
  • Use of saying verbs in past tense, example: said, told, promised, etc.
  • Use of thinking verbs in past tense, example: understood, felt, etc.

That's all, thanks! Hope this is meaningful for you!

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