Narrative Text
1. Definition
Narrative Text is a type of text that tells a story through a series of connected chronological events. It deals with problematic events which lead to a crisis and eventually find a resolution.
2. Social Function
The main purposes of Narrative Text are:
To amuse or entertain the readers/listeners with a story.
To teach a moral lesson or share values through the story's outcome.
3. Generic Structure
A good narrative usually follows this organized flow:
Orientation: The introduction. It sets the scene (where and when) and introduces the participants (who).
Complication: A crisis or problem arises. This is the heart of the story where the conflict develops.
Resolution: The crisis is resolved, for better or for worse (Happy or Sad ending).
Re-orientation (Optional): A closing remark to the story and it often contains a moral lesson or advice from the writer.
4. Language Features
When writing or identifying a Narrative Text, look for these linguistic characteristics:
Past Tense: Since it tells a story that happened in the past (e.g., killed, walked, was, were, had).
Adverbs of Time: To show when the story started (e.g., Once upon a time, long ago, one day, yesterday).
Time Conjunctions: To connect the sequence of events (e.g., Then, after that, suddenly, finally, meanwhile).
Action Verbs: Verbs that show an activity (e.g., climbed, jumped, dug, fought).
Direct Speech: Using dialogue to make the story more alive. It uses present tense inside the quotation marks (e.g., Snow White said, "I am so sad.").
5. Common Types of Narrative
Legend: Stories about the origins of places or historical figures (e.g., The Legend of Lake Toba).
Fable: Stories where animals act like humans and teach a lesson (e.g., The Fox and the Crow).
Fairy Tale: Stories involving magic, giants, or fairies (e.g., Cinderella, Pinocchio).
Folktale: Traditional stories passed down through generations (e.g., Malin Kundang).
6. Example and Analysis
Text: The Rabbit and the Turtle
(Orientation)
One day, a Rabbit was boasting about how fast he could run. He laughed at the Turtle for being so slow. To the Rabbit's surprise, the Turtle challenged him to a race.
(Complication)
The race began. The Rabbit ran so fast that he was soon far ahead of the Turtle. Feeling confident, the Rabbit decided to take a nap under a tree. "The Turtle is so slow; I can sleep for a while and still win," he thought. Meanwhile, the Turtle kept walking slowly but steadily. He never stopped for a moment.
(Resolution)
When the Rabbit woke up, he ran as fast as he could to the finish line. However, he saw that the Turtle was already there, waiting for him. The slow and steady Turtle had won the race.
(Re-orientation/Moral Value)
The lesson of the story is that "slow and steady wins the race."
7. Exercise (Analysis Task)
Read the story of "The Crying Stone" or "Malin Kundang" and answer the following:
Identify the Orientation: Who were the characters and where did it happen?
Identify the Complication: What was the main problem in the story?
Identify the Resolution: How did the story end?
Language Check: List 5 action verbs in the past tense form ($V_2$) found in the text.
Moral Value: What can you learn from the story?
Vocabulary Spotlight
Boast (v): To talk with excessive pride.
Challenge (v): To invite someone to a competition.
Steadily (adv): In a regular and even manner.
Resolve (v): To find a solution to a problem.
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