Narration uses and elements

Scope:

to present human characters, both through description and dialogue and to show them in action. ideally, the author suggests to the reader an attitude or view about what occurs without giving a

specific opinion, but the chief emphasis is upon what happens

Characteristics:

1. unity: every detail should be carefully selected and included with a purpose2. coherence: the details should follow in a logical sequence (even if the narrative is not given in

chronological order)3. emphasis: important information should be highlighted, as it sets the plot or story into motion.

This can be achieved by placing it at the beginning of the text, delaying it until the end orconstantly repeating it.

Techniques used in narration:To be effective, narration must be interesting and must provide an approximation of reality for the reader. Toachieve this reality or verisimilitude, a narrator makes use of description and exposition within the narrative.

1. description: may recreate the place or the scene of the story, the people involved, theweather, the time of the day, etc. Everything we narrate happens somewhere and to somebody; itis description that makes us able to see these places and people.

2. exposition: makes the narrative seem real, probable, and reasonable, since it explains(or comments on) why things are as they are as well as where and when they happen.

3. plot movement: the plot of each narrative will vary greatly depending upon the kind and thenumber of details given. The proportion of straight narration, description, and exposition has adirect influence on the plot movement, or pace.

Point of view:Point of view concerns the relationship between the teller of the story and his narrative and between thenarrative and the reader. We must know who is telling the story and from what point of view and attitude heis telling it. The major types of point of view are:

1. first person participant: the narrator is a participant in the experience he is relating and tellsthe story in the first person; he tells the story of his life, or part of his life, and is the majorcharacter (as in most autobiographies).

2. first person observer: the narrator is not telling his own story; he is present, but hisinterest is in someone else. The story is told in the first person, however.

3. third person: there are two points of view in the third person. One is called thethird person omniscient and the other the third person limited. The third person omniscient isused by an author who is observing all the story from a distance. He sees and knows all and hisrange of understanding is broad since he can enter the thoughts and feelings of all his characters.In the third person limited point of view thee author gives his attention to one person andconcentrates on the attitude, the action, the thinking of only one main character.

4. objective view: occasionally, an author may choose to present his material in astrictly objective manner, by giving the material in dramatic fashion. Everything is shown;nothing is told. This is similar to watching a play, where the audience will know nothing, exceptwhat they see and hear. The writer is entirely absent from the narrative, and there is no narratoror intelligence to interpret the story for the reader.

Narration uses and elements