NARRATIVE WRITINGPlot Elements

NARRATIVE WRITING

The purpose of narrative writing is to tell a story.

• You describe an experience, event, or sequence of events in the form of a story.

• You move the event through time.

BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND ENDDetermine how the story begins, what happens in the middle (where the bulk of the action will take place) and how the story ends.

1. Jem broke his arm.

2. Miss Maudie’s house burns.

3. Dill was under Scout’s bed.4. Atticus guarded the jail.

Place the events in order

DESCRIBE THE EVENT

• Identify the event or experience.• TELL: Who, What, Where, Why and

HowEvent

Who Why HowWhere

What

Scout and Jem spend the summers with Dill.

• Jem, Scout, Dill

• children

• Become friends

• Neighbors during the summer

• Devising ways to make Boo Radley come outside.

• Maycomb, Alabama

• They are intrigued by the stories they have heard about Boo Radley.

STANDARDS FOR A NARRATIVE WRITING

Event

Who Why HowWhere

What

Scout and Jem spend the summers with Dill.

• Jem, Scout, Dill

• children

• Become friends

• Neighbors during the summer

• Devising ways to make Boo Radley come outside.

• Maycomb, Alabama

• They are intrigued by the stories they have heard about Boo Radley.

Details Details Details Details Details

Jem

and

Sco

ut m

eet D

ill w

hen

he co

mes to

M

ayco

mb to

stay w

ith

his a

unt

Sco

ut a

nd Je

m liv

e n

ext

door to

Dill’s a

unt.

Sco

ut a

nd Je

m liv

e w

ith

their w

idow

ed fa

ther,

Atticu

s.

Dill liv

es in

Merid

ian,

Mississip

pi w

ith h

is m

oth

er.

Dill is a

scraw

ny b

oy

with

blo

nd h

air.

They a

ll live in

the

South

.

Boo R

adle

y h

as fa

ngs

and g

low

ing re

d e

yes.

His b

reath

is ice co

ld

and d

eadly

to g

ard

en

pla

nts.

Sco

ut a

nd D

ill dare

Jem

to

touch

Boo R

adle

y’s

house

.

They w

ere

surp

rised to

fin

d th

at B

oo R

adle

y w

as

leavin

g th

em

gifts in

the

Oak tre

e.

NARRATE EACH EVENT

Scout and Jem live in Maycomb, Alabama with their widowed father. One summer they meet a scrawny blond boy, Dill who lives in Meridian, Mississippi with his mother. Dill is staying the summer with his aunt who lives next door to Scout and Jem. They quickly become friends and share a common interest. They are intrigued by the stories of their reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley. They believe that he has red eyes, fangs and ice cold breath that is deadly to garden plants. They spend the summer devising ways to make Boo Radley come out of his house like daring Jem to touch Boo Radley’s house. They were later surprised to find that Boo Radley was leaving them gifts in the Oak tree.

MOVE THE EVENT THROUGH TIME

One way to move an event through time is by choosing words that reflect this movement. • Some words that show movement

through time are first, then, next, finally, meanwhile, before, after, during, and suddenly.

• Choose the ones that make the most sense for your story.

2. Miss Maudie’s house burns.

3. Dill was under Scout’s bed.4. Atticus guarded the jail.

1. Jem broke his arm.

MOVE THE EVENT THROUGH TIME

First, the novel opens with Scout describing the summer that Jem broke his arm.Then, Miss Maudie’s house burns.Suddenly, Dill was under Scout’s bed.Finally, Atticus guarded the jail.

DRAFTING AND REVISING

• Use the elements of a story and include necessary background information.• Include dialogue.• Use sensory details.• When revising make sure the

following is clear:• The significance of the event• What actually happened

If you find yourself losing interest as you write, you probably chose the wrong memory. Remember the following as you draft:

STANDARDS FOR A NARRATIVE WRITING

• Focus on a clearly defined and well-developed incident. • The incident may consist of a

series of closely related incidents.

• Provide background information.• Include the elements of a

narrative: plot, characters, setting, conflict.

STANDARDS FOR A NARRATIVE WRITING• Organize events clearly. • Chronological order works best.

• Use dialogue, if appropriate.• Include appropriate word choice.• Explain the significance of the

incident.• Maintain a consistent point of view.