Narrative

Narrative text

I. Social Function
The purpose of a narrative is to entertain or to amuse the readers or the listeners.

II. Generic Structure

• Orientation (a setting of characters & a plot): An orientation contains who or what is in the story, when the story is taking place, and where the action is happening
• Complication (problems are arising): A complication contains a chain of problems or conflicts that influences what will happen in the story
• Resolution (solution of problems): A resolution contains how the characters solve the problem arisen in the complication. It can be ended by happy or sad ending.
• Coda (optional, moral values taken from the story): A coda provides a comment or moral values based on what has been learned from the story

III. Lexicogrammatical Features

• focus on specific participants
• use material processes, behavioral processes, and verbal processes
• Use temporal conjunctions, and temporal circumstances
• use past tense

Example:

Snow White

orientation
Once upon a time there lived a little girl named snow white. She lived with her aunt and uncle because her parents were dead.

Complication
One day she heard her uncle and aunt talking about leaving snow white in the castle because they both wanted to go to America and they didn't have enough money to take snow white.

Resolution
Snow white did not want her uncle and aunt to do this so she decided it would be better if she ran away. The next morning she ran away from home when her aunt and uncle were having breakfast. She ran away into the woods.

Complication
She was very tired and hungry.

Resolution
Then she saw the little cottage. She knocked but no one answered so she went inside and fall asleep.

Complication
Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs were coming home from work. They went inside. There they found snow white sleeping. Then snow white woke up. She saw the dwarfs said: "What is your name?" Snow White said, "My name is Snow White."

Resolution
Dwarf said, "If you wish, you may live here with us." Snow white said, "Oh, thank you." Then, snow white and the 7 dwarfs lived happily ever after.