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2.1.2.8.3: Reading Skills- Analyzing Narrative

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    What Does Narrative Mean?

    Narrative means storytelling. The story can be fact (real), or it can be fiction (made up).

    Questions to Ask

    When you read a narrative account, think about the following elements of the story.

    The setting

    (a)   Time

    • When does the story take place? Is it past, present, or future?
    • Are the events told in chronological order (they order in which they occur), or are there flashbacks?

    (b)   Place

    • Where does the story take place? Is the place significant to the story?

    The characters

    • How would you describe the main characters? Think about age, job, appearance, personality, and any other information you have.
    • What is their relationship with other people in the story?
    • Do any of the characters change as the story progresses? Does anyone learn anything?

    The plot

    • Is there a conflict in the story? A problem to be solved? A decision to be made?
    • Where is the climax (the most important piece of action, or the turning point)?
    • How does the story end? Is the ending satisfactory to everyone?

    The meaning and purpose

    • What can be learned from the story?
    • Why did the storyteller tell this story?

    Your personal reaction

    • How did the story make you feel? What emotions did it inspire in you?
    • Does the story remind you of anything else you have read or heard about?

    You Try It!

    The analysis of narrative does not apply only to stories and books. You can use the same approach to look at TV shows, movies, plays, and even songs that tell a story.

    You are going to watch a short film called For Angela, produced by the National Film Board of Canada. The film is from 1993, but its message is still relevant today. This 20-minute film tells the true story of Angela, a young girl in Winnipeg, and how her mother, Rhonda, stands up to the racism they encounter on a local bus.

    b'For Angela ', b'Nancy Trites' b'Botkin' & b'Daniel' b'Prouty', provided by the National Film Board of Canada

    Films like For Angela serve to educate Canadians about issues such as racism and prejudice.

    After you watch the film, think about the questions on the previous page. Take notes on the elements of the story.

    The setting

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    The characters

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    The plot

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    The meaning and purpose

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    Your personal reaction

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    Now retell the story in your own words. Use the space below.

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    2.1.2.8.3: Reading Skills- Analyzing Narrative is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.