Narrative is a literary form that consists of stories or tales told in an orderly sequence that are presented for a reader’s entertainment. There are numerous types of narratives, including; novels, short stories, plays, poems, and articles. A narrative usually includes some type of character development, a plot, and a beginning, middle, and end.
As the name suggests, a narrative is generally used for creating stories or tales, but it can also be implemented as a journalistic style with objective reporting. A journalist who writes in the third-person, for example, using the present tense, is essentially telling a story using factual information. Hence, a narrative is not always a form of fiction.
- Example: John Doe, a 26-year-old law student from New York, was walking down the street one day when a stranger approached him and asked for directions to the nearest bar. According to a report filed by Jane Doe, a 31-year-old English major at Syracuse University, the interaction went something like this:
- Stranger: (In present tense) Can I help you?John Doe: (In present tense) Yeah, I’m looking for the bar where all the law students are. (Stranger: (In present tense) The Cliffs Law School has a great reputation. Have you heard of it?John Doe: (In present tense) No, I haven’t.
- Stranger: (In present tense) Well, it’s located right here in the city. John Doe: (In present tense) Great! (Stranger: (In present tense) Let’s go there, then. John Doe: (In present tense) Okay.
- Stranger: (In present tense) This way? John Doe: (In present tense) Yep, that’s it.
- Stranger: (In present tense) So, what kind of law are you studying?John Doe: (In present tense) I’m interning this summer at a law firm in New York. (Stranger: (In present tense) That’s great! One of the best law schools in the country. My wife went there, and she loved it. John Doe: (In present tense) Oh, really? Did she mention that she was there on a basketball scholarship?
- Stranger: (In present tense) No, but it’s one of the best law schools in the country. My wife went there too. John Doe: (In present tense) My mother went there. (Stranger: (In present tense) Aw, that’s so great! What’s her name? I’d love to tell her you said that. John Doe: (In present tense) Uh…her name is Jane, I believe.
- Stranger: (In present tense) Oh, I’d love to meet her. John Doe: (In present tense) I’d love to as well. She’s a great lady. (Stranger: (In present tense) She went there on a basketball scholarship too?
- John Doe: (In present tense) Yes, she did. And after her senior year, she went to work for the federal government.
- Stranger: (In present tense) Wow! How did you end up working for the government? John Doe: (In present tense) Through a civil service exam, actually. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life when I was a kid, so I tried my luck at the local government exam. I guess it was meant to be. I enjoy my job, and I’ve been there for almost four years now.
- Stranger: (In present tense) How’s life in D.C.? Pretty busy, huh? John Doe: (In present tense) Yeah, it can be pretty hectic. The thing is, I live for my work. It’s not like I love hanging out with my co-workers or anything. (Stranger: (In present tense) It can be great, though. You actually get to see a lot of the world. John Doe: (In present tense) Yeah, I’ve gotten to see a lot of it. I started out in New York City, and I’ve been to California a few times for basketball. It’s funny, my friends in New York sometimes ask me if I get bored just moving from place to place. I tell them, no, I love my job, and I get to see so much of the world. It’s amazing!
- Stranger: (In present tense) So, you’re basically just working for the government now? John Doe: (In present tense) Yes, I am. I get to work in different places, and I get to meet a lot of different people. It’s very rewarding. And a good opportunity for advancement. I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of sexism in my workplace or anything. But I will say there’s a lot of competition for who gets to be the loudest or the shiest. It’s pretty crazy. We even have employee drinking pools where they can get blitzed at work parties. It’s a competitive atmosphere, but at the end of the day, we’re all on the same team. It’s not like I work for the government and am trying to piss you off. You’re both trying to help our country. We’re both part of the same family, so to speak.
- Stranger: (In present tense) That’s great! I love it when a plan comes together. John Doe: (In present tense) Me too. But sometimes it takes a little while to see the results. You know?
- Stranger: (In present tense) Yeah, I know what you mean. You need to keep your eyes open for the results, but it’s worth it in the end. John Doe: (In present tense) Exactly. We’re both stubborn types, I think. We both like to see things through, no matter what. My wife jokes that I’m a hard worker, and she’s right. I’ll work until I drop, or they find me dead on the floor. You can’t stop me from working.
As you can see, a narrative is quite a versatile literary tool. While it can be used for entertainment purposes, it can also be applied as a journalistic style to provide a reader with important information. Additionally, narrative can be used in a fictional work as a storytelling device, or as a means of character development. The important thing to remember about narrative is that it is a flexible tool and can be used for many different purposes. You don’t have to decide on one particular use for it right away.
That’s all for today. Stay tuned for more information on narrative, and feel free to come back any time. Thanks for reading!