Narrative Text

Sangkuriang

1. Definition

Narrative text is an imaginative story to entertain the readers. Other function of narrative text is for education.

2. Generic Structure

• Orientation    : It is about the opening paragraph where the characters, setting and time of the story are established.
• Complication : When the problems in the story arise an involves main character.
• Resolution      : The problems are solved (better or worse).

3. Language Features

• Use past form tenses.
• Use indirect speech.
• Use noun phrase.
• Use time connectives and conjunctions.
• Use adverbs and adverbial phrase.
• Use imagery.
• Use action verbs.
• Use saying verbs.
• Use thinking verbs, feeling verb, and verbs of senses.

4. Kinds of Narrative Text

• Myth is a story made up to explain something that people believe (such as how the earth was made) or something in nature (such as thunder or lightning) with no proof.
• Legend is story about the extraordinary deeds that real people or story characters (who might have been real people) are supposed to have performed.
• Fable is a fictional tale involving animal characters.
• Fairy Tales are stories that tell of miraculous and fantastic happenings. The main character in fairy tales are often supernatural and can do all sorts of extraordinary things.
• Folklore is a tale that is inherited from a generation to next generation.

5. Example of Narrative Text

Malin Kundang

• Orientation:

A long time ago, in a small village near the beach in West Sumatra, a woman and her son lived. They were Malin Kundang and her mother. Her mother was a single parent because Malin Kundang's father had passed away when he was a baby. Malin Kundang had to live hard with his mother.

• Complication:

Malin Kundang was a healthy, dilligent, and strong boy. He usually went to sea to catch fish. After getting fish he would bring it to his mother, or sold the caught fish in the town.

One day, when Malin Kundang was sailing, he saw a merchant's ship which was being raided by a small band of pirates. He helped the merchant. With his brave and power, Malin Kundang defeated the pirates. The merchant was so happy and thanked to him. In return the merchant asked Malin Kundang to sail with him. To get a better life, Malin Kundang agreed. He left his mother alone.

Many years later, Malin Kundang became wealthy. He had a huge ship and was helped by many ship crews loading trading goods. Perfectly he had a beautiful wife too. When he was sailing his trading journey, his ship landed on a beach near a small village. The villagers recognized him. The news ran fast in the town; “Malin Kundang has become rich and now he is here”.

An old woman ran to the beach to meet the new rich merchant. She was Malin Kundang’s mother. She wanted to hug him, released her sadness of being lonely after so long time. Unfortunately, when the mother came, Malin Kundang who was in front of his well dressed wife and his ship crews denied meeting that old lonely woman. For three times her mother begged Malin Kundang and for three times he yelled at her. At last Malin Kundang said to her "Enough, old woman! I have never had a mother like you, a dirty and ugly woman!" After that he ordered his crews to set sail. He would leave the old mother again but in that time she was full of both sadness and angriness.

Finally, enraged, she cursed Malin Kundang that he would turn into a stone if he didn't apologize. Malin Kundang just laughed and really set sail.

• Resolution:           

In the quiet sea, suddenly a thunderstorm came. His huge ship was wrecked and it was too late for Malin Kundang to apologize. He was thrown by the wave out of his ship. He fell on a small island. It was really too late for him to avoid his curse. Suddenly, he turned into a stone.