Narrative Text

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.

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

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

Language Features of Narrative Text

1.      A narrative focuses on specific participants.

2.      There are many action verbs, verbal and mental processes

3.      Direct and indirect speeches are often used

4.      It usually uses Past Tense

5.      Linking words are used, related with time

6.      There are sometimes some dialog and the tense can change

7.      Descriptive language is used to create listener’s or reader’s imagination

8.      Temporal conjunctions are also used.

Example :

Timun mas

Long time ago in the island of Java, Indonesia, lived a couple of farmer.  They had married for some years but they had no children.  So they prayed to a monster called Buta Ijo to give them children.  Buta Ijo was a ferocious and powerful monster.  He granted their wish on one condition.  When their children had grown up, they had to sacrifice them to Buta Ijo.  He liked eating fresh meat of human being.  The farmers agreed to his condition.  Several months later the wife was pregnant.

She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  They named her Timun Emas.  The farmers were happy.  Timun Emas was very healthy and a very smart girl.  She was also very diligent. When she was a teenager Buta Ijo came to their house.  Timun Emas was frightened so she ran away to hide.  The farmers then told Buta Ijo that Timun Emas was still a child.  They asked him to postpone.  Buta Ijo agreed.  He promised to come again.  The following year Buta Ijo came again.  But again and again their parents said that Timun Emas was still a child. 

When the third time Buta Ijo came their parents had prepared something for him.  They gave Timun Emas several bamboo needles, seeds of cucumber, dressing and salt. 

‘Timun, take these things’

‘What are these things?’

‘These are your weapons.  Buta Ijo will chase you.  He will eat you alive.  So run as fast as you can.  And if he will catch you spread this to the ground.  Now go!’

Timun Emas was scared so she ran as quickly as she could.  When Buta Ijo arrived she was far from home.  He was very angry when he realized that his prey had left.  So he ran to chase her.  He had a sharp nose so he knew what direction his prey ran. 

Timun Emas was just a girl while Buta Ijo was a monster so he could easily catch her up.  When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas quickly spread the seeds of cucumber.  In seconds they turned into many vines of cucumber.  The exhausted Buta Ijo was very thirsty so he grabbed and ate them.  When Buta Ijo was busy eating cucumber Timun Emas could run away.

But soon Buta Ijo realized and started running again.  When he was just several steps behind Timun Emas threw her bamboo needles.   Soon they turned into dense bamboo trees. Buta Ijo found it hard to pass.  It took him some time to break the dense bamboo forest.  Meanwhile Timun Emas could run farther.

            Buta Ijo chased her again.  When he almost catch her again and again Timun Emas threw her dressing.  This time it turned into a lake.  Buta Ijo was busy to save himself so Timun Emas ran way.  But Buta Ijo could overcome it and continued chasing her.

Finally when Timun Emas was almost caught she threw her salt.  Soon the land where Buta Ijo stood turned into ocean.  Buta Ijo was drowned and died instantly. 

Timun Emas was thankful to god and came back to her home.

Kancil and Crocodile Story
        (Favorite Story from Indonesia)

Kancil, the small but clever mouse deer, had many enemies in the forest. Fortunately, he was quick-witted, so that every time his life was threatened, he managed to escape.

One of his greatest enemies was Crocodile, who lived in the river that bordered the forest. Many times Crocodile had tried to capture the small mouse deer. Crocodile was big, but he was not very clever. Kancil was able to trick him every time.

One day it was very hot. There was no wind at all to refresh the thirsty plants and trees of the forest. It was in the middle of the dry season. For many weeks no rain had fallen so that the little creeks where the small animals used to drink had dried up. Kancil was walking alone in the forest; he was very thirsty. He had walked a long way; looking for a brook where he could quench his thirst, but he had found only dry mud in the once gay rippling brooks. It was very quiet in the forest. All the animals seemed to sleep. Even the birds did not sing in the trees. Kancil finally decided to go to the river that bordered the forest. Usually he avoided going there as he knew that Crocodile was always on the look-out for him, waiting for an opportunity to catch him.

When he arrived at the river. Kancil looked cautiously around him. There was no body to be seen. The clear river water mirrored blindly the rays of the sun. step by step Kancil approached the water. His sharp eyes looked right and left; his pointed ears strained to catch the slightest sound. But no danger seemed to threaten him this time. Relieved, he bent his head to enjoy the cool water. Suddenly, his glance fell upon an object that was floating not far away from where he stood. It was a blackish thing. It looked like a fallen branch ………. Or, like the back of crocodile! Kancil jumped back, surprised and thoughtful. But he was also very thirsty. How could he possibly know whether the thing there in the river was really a log or a crocodile? Then he smiled a little as he  hit upon an idea. In a clear voice he shouted, “ Hey! There, you who are in the river. If you are crocodile, don’t answer me, but if you are only a long of wood, tell me your name!”

Now it was really Crocodile who was floating in the river. He had seen Kancil approaching and he was waiting for him to bend his head to drink. At the very moment when Kancil did not look. Crocodile would catch him. Without thinking any further, Crocodile answered Kancil in his gruff voice, “Don’t be afraid, I’m only a harmless log!”

Immediately, Kancil ran away as fast as his leg could carry him, while shouting over his shoulder, “O, stupid Crocodile, have you ever heard a log of wood talk?”

A fortnight later, however, Kancil forgot this incident. The dry season was not over yet and it seemed to be hotter than ever. Kancil remembered the cool, fresh river water. How wonderful it would be take a bath in it! He decided to try his luck once again. This time there was nothing suspicious to be seen, so Kancil went to the water and drank to his heart’s content. It was very quite, and also very hot. Without thinking any further Kancil went down into the river and began to splash himself. In his delight he forgot all about danger. He pick up a dry twig that was floating by and began to beat the water with it. He made so much noise that he woke up….who else, but old crocodile who was sleeping in the neighborhood.

“Well, well, this seem to be my lucky day,” thought Crocodile. In a flash he shot out of his hiding place and all of a sudden. Kancil felt sharp teeth biting into one of his legs. It hurt him very much, but though he was shocked and frightened Kancil did not lose his wits. Without hesitation he dipped the dry twig into the water and in a mocking tone he said, “stupid old log of wood, do you really think you have got me? It is only a twig you have in your mouth, not my leg. Here is my leg’ catch it if you can!”

Kancil moved the twig rapidly to and in front of Crocodile’s eyes. Crocodile could not see very well in the water and above all, he really was blockhead! He believed the clever tal of the little mouse deer, released kancil’s leg and snapped his jaw on the twig. Of course, kancil did not wait one second to jump out of the water and run to the safety of the woods. Though his leg was very sore, he laughed heartily. Once more he had tricked Crocodile.

Talaga Warna

Long, long ago there was a kingdom in West Java. The kingdom was ruled by a king. People called their king His Majesty Prabu. Prabu was a kind and wise king. No wonder if that country was prosperous. There’s no hunger in this kingdom.

It was a very happy condition. But it was a pity that Prabu and his queen hadn’t got any children. It made the royal couple very, very sad. Some old men and women who was respected by Prabu suggested the king to adopt a child. But Prabu and the queen didn’t agree. “No, thank you. But for us, our own daughter or son is better than adopted children.”

The queen was very sad. She often cried. That was why Prabu decided to go. He went to the jungle. There he prayed to God. Everyday he begged for a child. His dream came true. A few months later, the queen got pregnant. All people in the kingdom felt happy. They sent many presents to the palace to express their happiness.

Nine months later a princess was born. People sent their presents again as a gift to a little princess. This baby grew as a beautiful teenager then.

Prabu and Queen loved their daughter so much. They gave what ever she wanted. It made Princess a very spoiled girl. When her wish couldn’t be realized, she became very angry. She even said bad things often. A true princess wouldn’t do that. Even though the princess behaved badly, her parents loved her, so did the people in that kingdom.

Day by day, the princess grew more beautiful. No girls could compare with her. In a few days, Princess would be 17 years old. So, people of that kingdom went to palace. They brought many presents for her. Their presents gift were very beautiful. Prabu collected the presents. There were really many presents. Then Prabu stored them in a building. Some times he could take them to give to his people.

Prabu only took some gold and jewels. Then she brought them to the goldsmith. “Please make a beautiful necklace for my daughter,” said Prabu. “My pleasure, Your Majesty,” the goldsmith replied. The goldsmith worked with all his heart and his ability. He wanted to create the most beautiful necklace in the world because he loved his princess.
The birthday came. People gathered in the palace field. When Prabu and queen appeared, people welcomed them happily. Prabu and his wife waved to their beloved people.

Cheers were louder and louder when the princess appeared with her fabulous pretty face. Everybody admired her beauty. Prabu got up from his chair. A lady gave him a small and glamorous pillow. A wonderful necklace was on it. Prabu took that necklace. “My beloved daughter, today I give this necklace to you. This necklace is a gift from people in this country. They love you so much. They presented it for you to express their happiness, because you have growing to a woman. Please, wear this necklace,” said Prabu.

Princess accepted the necklace. She looked at the necklace in a glance. “I don’t want to accept it! It’s ugly!” shouted the princess. Then she threw the necklace. The beautiful necklace was broken. The gold and jewels were spread out on the floor

Everybody couldn’t say anything. They never thought that their beloved princess would do that cruel thing. Nobody spoke. In their silence people heard the queen crying. Every woman felt sad and began crying too. Then everybody was crying.

Then there was a miracle. Earth was crying. Suddenly, from the under ground, a spring emerged. It made a pool of water. The palace was getting full. Soon the place became a big lake. The lake sank all of the kingdom.

Nowadays the water on that lake is not as full as before. There is only a small lake now. People called the lake “Talaga Warna”. It is mean “Lake of Colour”. It’s located in Puncak, West Java. On a bright day, the lake is full of colour. So beautiful and amazing. These colors come from shadows of forest, plants, flowers, and sky around the lake. But some people said that the colours are from the princess’s necklace, which spreads at the bottom of the lake.

Three Fishes

Once, three fishes lived in a pond. One evening, some fishermen passed by the pond and saw the fishes. 'This pond is full of fish', they told each other excitedly. 'We have never fished here before. We must come back tomorrow morning with our nets and catch these fish!' Then the fishermen left
           

When the eldest of the three fishes heard this, he was troubled. He called the other fishes together and said, 'Did you hear what the fishermen said? We must leave this pond at once. The fishermen will return tomorrow and kill us all!' The second of the three fishes agreed. 'You are right', he said. 'We must leave the pond.'

But the youngest fish laughed. 'You are worrying without reason', he said. 'We have lived in this pond all our lives, and no fisherman has ever come here. Why should these men return? I am not going anywhere - my luck will keep me safe.'

The eldest of the fishes left the pond that very evening with his entire family. The second fish saw the fishermen coming in the distance early next morning and left the pond at once with all his family. The third fish refused to leave even then.
 
The fishermen arrived and caught all the fish left in the pond. The third fish's luck did not help him - he too was caught and killed.
 
The fish who saw trouble ahead and acted before it arrived as well as the fish who acted as soon as it came both survived. But the fish who relied only on luck and did nothing at all died. So also in life.

Snow White

Once upon a time there lived a little girl named Snow White. She lived with her Aunt and Uncle because her parents were dead.

 One day she heard her Uncle and Aunt talking about leaving Snow White in the castle because they both wanted to go to America and they didn’t have enough money to take Snow White.

Snow White did not want her Uncle and Aunt to do this so she decided it would be best if she ran away. The next morning she ran away from home when her Aunt and Uncle were having breakfast. She ran away into the woods.

Then she saw this little cottage. She knocked but no one answered so she went inside and fell asleep.
 
Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs were coming home from work. They went inside. There they found Snow White sleeping. Then Snow White woke up. She saw the dwarfs. The dwarfs said, “what is your name?” Snow White said, “My name is Snow White.”
 

Doc, one of the dwarfs, said, “If you wish, you may live here with us.” Snow White said, “Oh could I? Thank you.” Then Snow White told the dwarfs the whole story and finally Snow White and the 7 dwarfs lived happily ever after.