ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS FOR ORAL OR WRITTEN DESCRIPTION

CHAPTER IV

NARRATION

Narration is the kind of speech or of writing that recounts occurrences in sequence. Any happening of any sort, or any series of happenings, real or imagined, may be material for narration.

A narrative may recount events as they actually happened in the life of a living being; i.e., it may be biography. It may recount events as they actually happened in the life of a nation or of a people; i.e., it may be history. It may recount events typical of life as it is; i.e., it may be realistic fiction. It may recount events as they are presumed to take place in an imaginary world; i.e., it may be romantic or idealistic fiction.

Realistic fiction includes most novels and short stories. Romantic or idealistic fiction includes romances, fairy tales, allegories, fables, and parables.

The purpose of a narrative may be to give information, as in biography and history; it may be merely to entertain, as in most short stories and many novels; or it may be to illustrate a point or to teach some lesson, as in the "problem novel," allegories, fables, and parables.

The Development of a Narrative. Whatever the nature or the purpose of a narrative, the occurrences must be so recounted as to culminate in a point which in itself has interest or value. Read the following narrative, noting the point and the chief impression and the way in which they are made:

In the hottest days of last summer there appeared in the city of the Straits one of those wandering religious fanatics whom the Italians call

"Nazarenes," a bare-headed, half-starved, wild-eyed man, dressed in a sort of hermit's frock that did not reach his sandaled feet. A boy of twelve or fourteen walked beside him, dressed in the same way, but with a shorter frock that showed his bare legs, and he carried a cowbell in one hand and a stick in the other. From time to time the two stopped, always at the busiest corners, and the boy rang his bell, as the public criers still do in old Italian towns, unless they are provided with a bugle horn instead. A few grown people and many idle lads and youths stopped at the sound to see what would happen. Then the "Nazarene" lifted up his voice, shrill and clear, to utter his prophecy, and his wild eyes were suddenly still and looked upward, fixed on the high houses opposite; and this was what he cried out :

"Be warned, take heed and repent, ye of Messina! This year shall not end before your city is utterly destroyed!"

But they who were to perish laughed and jeered at the "Nazarene " and went about their business, while he and his young companion proceeded on their way; and the street boys howled at them and pelted them with bits of orange peel and peach stones; but they passed on unheeding and unflinching as if accomplishing a mission intrusted to them as a sacred duty. - Outlook, CRAWFORD.

The Selection of Details. The point or culmination of the narrative is the prophetic warning of Messina by the Nazarene. It is brought out in five incidents: (1) the appearance of the Nazarene and his companion; (2) the stopping of the two at the busiest corners and the ringing of the bell; (3) the stopping of passers-by to listen; (4) the uttering of the prophetic warning; and (5) the contemptuous rejection of the Nazarene's warning and the passing on of the Nazarene and his companion.

The Development of Details. Each incident is developed by particulars essential to a clear understanding of the point. The first incident suggests the time of the event, names the place in which the event occurred, and introduces, first, the chief actor and, then, his companion. The second incident tells what the two did to gain the attention of an audience. The third shows the kind of audience that they attracted,

The fourth is the uttering of the prophetic warning. The fifth gives the result of the warning.

The Chief Impression. Each incident, also, by at least one particular helps to produce the chief impression given by the narrative, the strangeness of the event. The first incident gives the oddity of appearance of the chief actor and his companion. The second incident suggests the unusualness of the action by which the two gained the attention of an audience. The third depicts the kind of audience attracted by a strange action. The fourth recounts the peculiar prophetic warning. The fifth emphasizes the peculiarity of the warning by recounting its effect upon the crowd.

Each incident of the narrative, therefore, is developed by particulars which are essential to a clear understanding of the point or culmination, and which help to produce one chief impression.

The Order of Details. -The order in which the incidents are recounted is the order in which they occurred. Each additional incident both advances the story in time and emphasizes the chief impression.

The Point of View of a Bystander. The event is recounted as if seen by a bystander on the streets of the city. Each incident is developed by means of particulars that would catch the attention of a bystander. No particular which could not be perceived by a bystander is introduced. The story is told, therefore, from the point of view of a bystander. Summary. A narrative should be recounted by means of particulars which bring out the point or culmination, and which suggest the chief impression. Ordinarily, particulars are recounted in the order in which they occur. When a narrative is told from the point of view of a bystander, only such particulars may be used as would catch the attention of a bystander.

THEME I

1. Write an account of an amusing event which you have seen happen. 2. Write an account of the most exciting event which you have seen happen.

3. Write an account of the oddest event which you have seen happen. a. In each of your narratives:

(1) What is the point?

(2) By what incidents have you developed it?

(3) Which incident contains the point?

(4) What does each incident contribute to the clear understand

ing of the point?

(5) In what way does each incident suggest the chief impression? b. Read over each of your compositions to see that the story is told

clearly.

c. Examine each theme a second time to see that the grammar, the punctuation, and the spelling are correct.

The Point of View in Narration.-The point of view from which a narrative is told is not always that of a bystander. Read the following selection:

Just after sundown, when all my work was over and I was on my way to my berth, it occurred to me that I should like an apple. I ran on deck. The watch was all forward looking out for the island. The man at the helm was watching the luff of the sail and whistling away gently to himself; and that was the only sound excepting the swish of the sea against the bows and around the side of the ship.

In I got bodily into the apple barrel and found there was scarce an apple left; but, sitting down there in the dark, what with the sound of the waters and the rocking movement of the ship, I had either fallen asleep, or was on the point of doing so, when a heavy man sat down with rather a clash close by. The barrel shook as he leaned his shoulders against it, and I was just about to jump up when the man began to speak. It was Silver's voice, and, before I had heard a dozen words, I would not have shown myself for all the world, but lay there, trembling and listening, in the extreme of fear and curiosity; for from these dozen words I understood that the lives of all the honest men aboard depended upon me alone. – Treasure Island, STEVENSON.