Narration Techniques

Shifts

ENG101

What are the key narrative elements?

Purpose
Action
Conflict
Point of view
Key events
Dialogue
Ethics

Purpose

Establish an interesting or useful fact

Go beyond only reciting events (not a reporter)
Lessons and insights
Encounter with mugger leads to
observation on self-respect

Action

Plays a central role in narrative

Recreates action, not presents (active vs. passive)

Action must all relate to purpose, not just

chronicle series of events

Conflict

Motivates and structure the action

Man vs. Man
Man vs. Society
Man vs. Self
Man vs. Nature
http://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/education/t
ypes-of-literary-conflict

Point of View
First-person POV
Autobiographies
I, me, mine, we, ours
Third-person POV
Biographies, histories
Narrator remains unmentioned
He, she, him, her

Key Events

Chosen events should help reader share

experience of writer
Identify and build narrative around key
events
Those that directly relate to purpose
Use secondary events to keep narrative
flowing smoothly

Dialogue
Enlivens action and draws reader into
story
Essential to illustrating purpose
Written conversation does NOT
duplicate real talk
Dialogue that reproduces real talk
weakens narrative
Use simple words, short sentences
Punctuate properly
Avoid over-repetition of he/she said

Ethics

Provide truthful account

Do not falsify someones behavior to tarnish
reputation (libel)
Give fictitious names to protect others from
danger
Consider audience whenever relating possible
unethical or illegal behavior

Shifts

Eliminate distracting shifts

These distract or confuse readers

Point of view
Verb tense
Mood or voice
Indirect to direct questions (statement to
question)

Make the POV consistent in person

& number

First person emphasizes writer

Good for informal letters and writing based on
personal experience
Second person emphasizes reader
Good for giving advice or explaining how to do
something
Third person emphasizes subject
Best for formal academic and professional writing

Make the POV consistent in person

& number
One week, our class met in a junkyard to practice rescuing a
victim trapped in a wrecked car. We learned to dismantle the
car with the essential tools. You were graded on your speed
and your skill in extricating the victim.
One week, our class met in a junkyard to practice rescuing a
victim trapped in a wrecked car. We learned to dismantle the
car with the essential tools. You were graded on your speed
and your skill in extricating the victim.

Make the POV consistent in person

& number
One week, our class met in a junkyard to practice rescuing a
victim trapped in a wrecked car. We learned to dismantle the
car with the essential tools. You were graded on your speed
and your skill in extricating the victim.
One week, the class met in a junkyard to practice rescuing a
victim trapped in a wrecked car.They learned to dismantle the
car with the essential tools.They were graded on their speed
and their skill in extricating the victim.

Maintain consistent verb tenses

Consistent verb tenses clearly establish time of the actions being
described
Which sentence is incorrect?
A. She caught the ball and then throws it to the catcher for the out.
B. She caught the ball and then threw it to the catcher for the out
C. She catches the ball and then throws it to the catcher for the out.
A. She caught the ball and then throws it to the catcher for the out.

Maintain consistent verb tenses

When writing about literature or current research, use
present tense
Which sentence is correct?
A. Research showed that the Great Pyramids were built before
wooly mammoths became extinct.
B. Research shows that the Great Pyramids were built before
wooly mammoths became extinct.
B.

Maintain consistent mood & voice

Three moods in English
Indicative is used for facts, opinions, questions
Imperative is used for orders or advice
Subjunctive is used to express wishes or conditions contrary to fact
Which sentence is correct?
A.The officers advised us against allowing anyone into our homes without proper
identification. They also suggested that we alert neighbors to our vacation
schedules.
B.The officers advised us against allowing anyone into our homes without proper
identification. Also, alert neighbors to our vacation schedules.
A.

Maintain consistent mood and voice

Which sentence is correct?
A. Mother said that she would be late for dinner and asked me
not to leave for choir practice until Dad came home.
B. Mother said that she would be late for dinner and please do
not leave for choir practice until Dad comes home.
A. Mother said that she would be late for dinner and (she) asked
me not to leave for choir practice until Dad came home.

Maintain consistent mood and voice

B. Mother said that she would be late for dinner and
please do not leave for choir practice until Dad comes
home.
Mother said that she would be late for dinner uses the
indicative mood/voice.
Please do not leave for choir practice until Dad gets
home uses the subjunctive mood/voice.

Avoid sudden shifts from indirect or direct

questions or statements

Indirect question: Alex asked whether the potatoes

were ready and whether he could cut them for the
salad.
Direct question: Are the potatoes ready and can I cut
them for the salad?

Avoid sudden shifts from indirect or direct

questions or statements
Which of the following is incorrect?
A. My instructor asked whether I was prepared for the course
and have I bought myself a laptop.
B. My instructor asked whether I was prepared for the course
and whether I had bought myself a laptop
C. My instructor asked, Are you prepared for the course, and
have you bought yourself a laptop?
A. My instructor asked whether I was prepared for the course
and have I bought myself a laptop.

How to Revise using this skill

Underline subjects to look for POV shifts

Circle all verbs to ensure that none of the verbs shift.
Ensure that there arent any shifts from a statement
to a question or vice versa

Practice
Shift
Revising
2.Turn down the heat when are you more likely
to wake up at night when you are hot or cold?
The body prefers to be in a colder milder
climate to sleep. Experts recommend bedroom
temperatures to be 65 70 degrees.

3. Exercise every day This will greatly improve

your ability to sleep at night. However be
careful not to exercise too close to bed time as
it can have a negative effect on sleep.

Shift Revision Practice

2. People should turn down the heat. People are more
likely to wake up at night when they are hot. The body
prefers (to be in) a colder milder climate to sleep.
Experts recommend bedroom temperatures to be 65
70 degrees.
3. People should exercise every day.This will greatly
improve an individuals ability to sleep (at night).
However one must be careful not to exercise too
closely to bed time as it can have a negative effect on
sleep.

For Monday
Due Mock Works Cited page
Apply your assigned narrative elements to each of
the following readings. Narrative elements are
assigned on the next slide. Use the PowerPoint
slides for guidance. Be prepared to extensively
discuss your findings with the class.
Greenburgs Sound and Fury
Glancys Aunt Parnettas Electric Blisters
Angelous Mommas Encounter

For Monday
Read these essays:
Greenburgs Sound and Fury
Glancys Aunt Parnettas Electric Blisters
Angelous Mommas Encounter

Apply these elements. Bring notes and books to class.

Micahla, Ali, Julia, Carly, Cheyanne, Taylor purpose &
action
Jeremy, Anthony, Ryan, Theresa, DeAndre, Amanda, Noah
- Conflict & POV
Tayonna, Cassidy, Maymunah, Jeff,Tianna, Kaytlin Key
events & dialogue
DJ, Sara, Lexi, Jared, Aidan, Summer, Sierra ethics