Transcript
Page 1: The Confident Writer

The Confident WriterChapter 8:

Narrating and Describing

Page 2: The Confident Writer

“Salvation” by Langston Hughes

What is Hughes’s thesis? Why is he writing?

How are the details organized?What pattern(s) of organization does he

use?

Can you think of any such defining moments in your own life?

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What Are Organizational Patterns?

Organizational patterns are…◦Thought patterns◦Options for helping a

writer achieve unity and coherence

◦Frameworks for ideas◦Determined by topic,

audience, and purpose

One organizational pattern is narration.◦ Narration is the

storytelling patternAnother pattern is

description.◦ Description brings

subjects to life.

Which pattern should you use?

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Use Narration to Tell a Story

Use narration to develop your topic as a story.

A narration develops a series of events that take place over a period of time.

Tell your readers what you learned from the experience—reflect!

Tools for Narration1. Determine the

story’s significance.2. Follow the sequence

of events.3. Choose a point of

view.4. Add dialogue for

accuracy and variety.

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Use Narration to Tell a Story

Determine the Story’s Significance

Follow a Sequence of Events

Try to understand the meaning of the event.

On notebook paper, do Exercise 8.1 on page 201.

In what order did the events occur?

Which details are necessary?

What transitions words will maintain a time sequence?

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Use Narration to Tell a Story

Choose a Point of View

Add Dialogue for Accuracy & Variety

POV=the perspective from which a story is told

1st Person: I3rd Person: he, she, it2nd Person: you (Avoid

using this one!)

Dialogue=quoting what someone says

Dialogue makes people come alive.

Dialogue allows people to speak for themselves.

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Rules for Using Dialogue

1. New speaker, new paragraph.

2. Put “ ” around the words of the speaker.George said, “Really? I can’t believe it!”

3. Attribute words to the speaker. Ron said,Alexis repliedHamilton quipped

4. Place ending punctuation inside “ ”.Trish murmured, “You know I love you.”“You know,” Trish murmured, “I love you.”“You know I love you,” Trish murmured.

5. After establishing speakers, you can omit attributions.

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Using Dialogue

Larry approaches Bob, who is reading with a very intent look on his face, and asks him, “Whuh you reading, Bob?”

“Ees book on how crocs keel prey with death roll,” answers Bob without looking up from the book. “I geet from child’s seshun of library.”

Larry’s brow furrows with intrigue. “Roll keel dem?” His fists clench as he struggles toward an epiphany.

“Oh, yeah. It snap neck,” Bob replies. When he notices Larry’s look of enthusiasm, he cannot help asking, “Why?” But Larry dashes off without a reply.

Several hours later, Larry rings Zebra’s doorbell. “Peese,” he says, when Zebra opens the door, “Eet wid dinner.” Zebra just stares a Larry, wondering at his remarkable resemblance to the Pillsbury Dough Boy, the proffered basked of dinner rolls, and look of bland innocence.

Comic Strip to

Narrative:

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Use the above cartoon to write a brief narrative that includes

description.

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Use Description to Enliven Your Writing

Use description to bring your topic to life.

Tools for Description1. Find a controlling

idea.2. Choose sensory

details.3. Consider your

audience and purpose.

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Use Description to Enliven Your Writing

Find a Controlling Idea

Choose Sensory Details

A controlling idea—◦ Is the overall

impression that a person, place or object conveys

◦ Is part of your thesis◦ Controls your selection

of details

Sensory details appeal to your five senses:◦ Touch◦ Taste◦ Smell◦ Hear◦ See

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Use Description to Enliven Your Writing

Consider Your Audience & Purpose

When you describe, you can have either:◦ An objective purpose◦ A subjective purpose

To decide on a purpose, ask yourself:◦ Who am I writing this

for and why?

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Think through Your Topic

Questions to Consider:1. What is your topic, and why have you chosen it?2. Is your purpose to relate an event or to create an impression?3. If your topic is an event or story, then what makes it significant?4. If your topic is an impression or feeling, then what is the

controlling idea?5. Is the topic something you know and care about?6. Will the topic interest readers or seem important to them?7. What is your central idea, thesis, or message?8. What point of view will you take?9. What examples or sensory details will bring this topic to life?10. How will dialogue add realism to your story or enliven your

description?

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Plan and Write Your Essay

Ask yourself the 5 Ws and a H Questions:◦Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Plan your essay with:◦A three-level outline

Main Idea Major details Minor details◦A coherence pattern

Time order, emphatic order, and spatial order

Look at Figure 8.4 on page 221.


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