(精品)Week02Narration01.doc

Foreign Languages College, SJTU 英语写作（2）Week 2 NarrationWhat1. To narrate is to tell entertaining stories, which are often seen in fiction, drama, newspapers, magazines, legends or myths. .2. Like description, exposition or argumentation, narration is another type of writing (called creative writing sometimes). It may show up as a whole story; other times, it may appear here or there, serving to support the theme or main idea. Why 1. To entertain the reader.2. To bring the reader to a clear understanding of a larger issue, an issue about the world or human life, usually. Typical example story to entertain the reader:1. Not Drunk EnoughTom, a five-year old boy, asks his father why the nurse applies spirits to his hip before she gives him an injection. “She wants to make your hip drunk so that there won’t be pain when she gives you the injection,” his father tells him. “But I can still feel the pain.” “That’s because your hip is too good at drinking to get drunk.”Typical example story to bring out some larger issue:2. A Greek Tale of FriendshipLong ago, a cruel king lived in Greece, who was cruel to his own people and even crueler to people from other countries. A fine man named Pythias came to this land with his good friend Damon. The cruel king put Pythias in prison. ”Pythias must die,” said the king. Damon begged the king to change his mind. But the king insisted. Pythias asked for one last thing. “I want to see my wife and baby before I die.” The king laughed. “No! You will never return.” Then Damon offered to go to prison in place of Pythias. “If Pythias does not return,” said Damon, “then I will die.” The king agreed, but he did not believe that Pythias was going to return. Pythias promised to return. He went home to his country. His wife and friends asked him not to return, but he said he must return. He sadly left for Greece. On the way there was a terrible storm, and he arrived in Greece late. On the last day Damon was prepared to die. “It’s better if I die,” he said to himself. “I have no wife and baby.” Just as Damon was ready to die, Pythias appeared. He ran to take Damon’s place.. The king ordered “Stop! I have never seen such a strong friendship. You both must live. I hope some day I can find friends like you two.”Typical example of the so-called semi-narration, which also looks like a description of a person’s life:3. Unafraid of the DarkWhen Toshiro was a boy in Japan, a soccer ball hit him in the face. He became blind in one eye. When he was older, he became successful in massage and acupuncture. Later he came to the U.S. with his family. He wanted to continue his work, but he needed a license in his new country. So he is now studying at City College of San Francisco. However, because of an unusual condition, he is losing sight in his other eye. Soon he will transfer to San Francisco State University. He wants to earn a degree and get a license. Toshiro is determined and hardworking. He is losing his eyesight, but not his vision to be successful. How (basic features)From the above examples, we may find some basic features of narration, which may be applicable to our better story writing this term.1. Setting: at the beginning, the setting is usually given including main characters, time, place, or the like (called who, when, where, how, or 4W sometimes).2. Time order: a narration can be a special type of description with details arranged in a chronological or flashback order.3. Plot: a typical narrative usually involves a happening with initial circumstances, development of conflicts or details, and finally a climax.4. Dialogue: a typical narrative usually involves turns of dialogues, not casually but carefully designed to propel the plot development towards a climax.5. Point of view: a first or third person point of view is often taken in narration.6. Larger issue: from Examples 1 and 2 above, the theme or larger issue of each typical story is either indicated or stated at the end.7. “Semi-narration”: this is a coined term for us to be aware of a narration without an obvious climax and dialogues.Traits required for this week’s honorable in-class writing1. It does amuse the reader, or brings out some larger issue. 2. It includes 1) dialogues, or 2) a plot with climax, as well as 3) the 3rd-person point of view.3. It sounds or looks more narrative than descriptive.Homework· Book 2 starts. · Bring along Book 1 for next class.· Reading Unit 2 (南大版）· Read a short story Salvation written by a Black America’s poet laureate, Langston Hughes (1902-1967) Appendix-1 "Salvation"          By Langston Huges I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this. There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed's church. Every night for weeks there had been much preaching, singing, praying, and shouting, and some very hardened sinn。