Narrative Text

 

A. The definition of narrative text

Narrative text is a story with complication or problematic events and it tries to find the resolutions to solve the problems. An important part of narrative text is the narrative mode, the set of methods used to communicate the narrative through a process narration.

B. The purpose of narrative text

The Purpose of Narrative Text is to amuse or to entertain the reader with a story.

C. Generic Structures of Narrative Text

1) Orientation

Sets the scene: where and when the story happened and introduces the participants of the story: who and what is involved in the story.

2) Complication

Tells the beginning of the problems which leads to the crisis (climax) of the main participants.

3) Resolution

The problem (the crisis) is resolved, either in a happy ending or in a sad (tragic) ending

4) Re-orientation/Coda

This is a closing remark to the story and it is optional. It consists of a moral lesson, advice or teaching from the writer

 Example :

Malin Kundang

Long time ago in one village in Sumatra, there was a mother with a son named Malin Kundang.

They lived in poor condition after the death of Malin’s Father.

Day by day Malin Kundang grew up and he became a young and strong man, brave and had a big dream to be a successful rich man.

He thought if he lived in the village then he would never be a rich man.

One day, Malin Kundang asked for her mother’s blessing to get some job outside his village.

Malin Kundang said, “Mother, we can’t live in this way forever. I want to be a rich man and I want to help you. I don’t want you live in this poorness. Thus, would you let me go to get money at another place? I promise I will be here soon after I get a lot of money.”

Mother said, “If you want to go then you have to go, my son. You are no more a child. You are a young man and you should reach your dream. Forgive your mother who can’t give you everything that you need. I pray for you every day and don’t forget your mother here. You have to go home someday.”

After that Malin Kundang started his journey to get rich.

At first he joined a ship to be a sailor. The captain was a good man and he trained Malin Kundang well to be a good sailor.

Malin Kundang was smart and he could easier learn everything. Malin Kundang assisted the captain to hold his business.

Years by years, the captain became older. He asked Malin Kundang to run his business.

Malin Kundang was also lucky because the captain asked him to marry his daughter.

After that Malin Kundang became the captain and he was very rich. The business was always good.

After Malin Kundang was success, he forgot his promise to go back to his mother. He did not want to remember that he had a poor mother who was waiting for him for a long time.

One day, Malin Kundang anchored his ship at his hometown.

While running his business, he met his neighbor who remembered him. After that his neighbor told Malin Kundang’s mother about the coming of his son.

The mother was very happy. She went to the harbor quickly to see his son.

Unfortunately, Malin Kundang was too shy having mother liked her who looked ugly and poor. So, he rejected his mother.

The mother was so sad and her heart was broken because her lovely son did not want to recognize her as his mother.

She was so disappointed and she said a curse for her son and all people belonged to her son.

The mother said, “Oh my dear son, how dare you to be like this to your mother. If you really do not want to hear me, then you are really a stone. You and your belonging are stones.”

After the mother was saying that, Malin Kundang, his wife, and all of his belongings became stones which stayed forever at that harbor silently and irremovable forever as well as stone statues.