The Narrative Essay. To Prompt Tips of Writing.

The Narrative Essay. To Prompt Tips of Writing.

The Narrative Essay was taken from My Teacher's Book.

Building up your essay. Instructions.

INTEREST. Writing an essay is not simply a matter of getting the required number of words down on paper. You must do all you can to make your essays interesting so that they will hold the reader's attention to the very end. To achieve this is not necessary to go to absurd lengths to be original. All you need is to include incidents and details which are drawn from everyday life or which you have imagined.

The most unpromising subject can be turned into an exciting essay. Let us suppose that you have to write about "A Day at the Seaside." This may seem to you a typically "dull" topic. If all you have to say in the 300 words or so words at your disposal is that you went to the beach, had a swim, had something to eat, and then went home, you will have written a typically dull composition. An essay can be as dull or as interesting as you care to make it. Here are a few details which could be included in this particular topic: the colorful scene on the beach: sun-shades, tents, bathing-costumes, sun or rain, sunbathing, children building sand-castles or looking for shells, games on the beach, people afraid to take the first plunge, people in difficulties in the sea, learning to swim, the pleasure of swimming, diving, water-skiing, coming out of the water, hot sand, sand in your hair, your clothes, people burying themselves in sand, a picnic on the beach, a restaurant, a fun-fair, the journey home, hot, tired, happy, still thinking of the sea, etc. Once you have found something definite to say, your essay will be interesting to read.

PLANNING. When telling a story, it is always best to relate events in the order in which they happened. Your first paragraph should set the scene. The most exciting part of your story should come at the end. In this way you will keep the reader in suspense. Do not spoil your story by "throwing away" the most interesting part of it in the first sentence or paragraph.

The general outline for stories should be as follows:

Before the even.

The event.

After the event.

Before working on your plan try to decide what the main event will be so that you can build your story round it. It is not always necessary to make out a full, detailed plan. But it is wise to note a few ideas under each heading so that you have a fairly clear picture of what you are going to say before you begin writing. Remember that a plan is only a guide. It is always possible to ignore your original scheme if a more interesting way of developing your story suddenly occurs to you after you have begun writing.

 

EXAMPLE OF A FIRST or INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH:

"The small party of men came to a halt at the top of the hill at a signal from their leader. They first threw down their rifles, then, unbuckling their heavy ammunition belts, they let them slide to their feet. All the men except the leader dropped wearily to the ground and lay there motionless. The leader was a tall bearded man who wore a curious khaki-colored peak cap. As he stood there, he kept scanning the countryside from left to right throught field-glasses, watching for any sign of movement."

EXAMPLE OF A LAST PARAGRAPH:

"The tail of the plane was in flames and the pilot knew he would not be able to land safely. There was another burst just behind him. This time he pressed a button, pulled the rip cord and suddenly found himself sailing through space. Soon the parachute billowed out and as he swung in mid-air, he saw his plane crash into the field below where it seemed to explode like a bomb."

 AN EXAMPLE OF A NARRATIVE ESSAY FROM MY TEACHER'S BOOK WILL FOLLOW THIS POST...

THANK YOU FOR READING!