Narrative Non-Fiction Review

Narrative Non-Fiction Review

Narrative Non-Fiction

• Key Characteristics:

• Focus, Frame Structures, Details, Anecdotes, Dialogue

Multiple Choice

The "Focus" of a story is:

• title

• central idea/theme

• structure of the story

• a story told to support the main idea

Multiple Select

Select any of the following options that illustrate potential "Focuses" of the story "Mother Tongue":

• The impact of the way others perceive us

• The different languages we speak

• Relationship between mother and daughter

• Family history defines us

Focus Development

When you examine the development of a central idea or "focus" you are looking at how this idea grows and changes throughout the text, and THEN deciding what the author's conclusion about this topic is. And when we talk about an author's "Conclusion" we are talking about how this idea can be applied to the rest of the world (big picture). So for "Me Talk Pretty," we might have said that Sedaris' conclusion is that "One has to focus on our own self-determination to achieve things, despite any obstacles that stand in our way."

Open Ended

If one of the primary focuses of "Mother Tongue" is the impact of how others perceive us based on how we speak... how would you describe the author's conclusion about this focus?

The THREE frame structures in narrative writing are:

• Chronological (from beginning to end)

• Circular (starts with one scene or idea, and ends with the same one)

• Convoluted: No specific order, flash back/flash forward

Multiple Select

Which of the following is an example of "Chronological" frame structure?

• "Me Talk Pretty"

• "My Name"

• "Mother Tongue"

• "The Jacket"

Multiple Select

Which of the following is convoluted, but could also be arguably considered Circular?

• The Jacket

• Me Talk Pretty

• Mother Tongue

Using Dialogue in Narration

• Dialogue serves two primary functions:

• 1- Letting us get to know HOW a character speaks and feels, setting the scene for the focus.

• 2- Serves to illustrate an idea (think "Mother Tongue" or "Me Talk Pretty."

Open Ended

How do "Mother Tongue" and "Me Talk Pretty" to illustrate a point?