The Understanding of Narrative Text

lesson or excite their emotion.” 8 It means that the reader can get the feeling of some issues and get the pleasure from the story. In addition, Betty stated that the purpose of narrative is to entertain and establish camaraderie whether the account is fiction or fact, and specific purpose, is to inform other people and the main idea, fact or event will often stated first. 9 Meanwhile, Anis Apriliawati states that the aim of narrative is telling a story to amuse or to entertain the readers. 10 In line of this Sanggan states that the social function of narrative is to entertain and to deal with vicarious experience in different way. 11 It means that narrative is written as amusing stories to entertain the reader. Futhermore, Clouse states the purposes of narrative are: 12 Table 2.1 Purpose of Narrative Purposes of Narration Purpose Sample Narration To entertain An account of your first meeting with your father-in-law, when you mistook him for annoying insurance salesman To express feeling An account of what happened when your best friend betrayed you To relate experience An account of the time you got lost in the woods for two days To inform to explain what happpens when a person is arrested An account of the times you were wrongly arrested for shoplifting To inform to teach a lesson An account of a time you got in trouble cheating To persuade to convince the reader that community service should be required in high school An account of the community service you performed a high school senior In sum up, the purpose of narrative text is to amuse and to inform the audience and also the reader can get the feeling of some issue. 8 Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson Text Types in English 3, South Yarra: Macmillan, 2003, p. 8. 9 Betty Mattix Dietsch, Reason and Writing Well, Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2006, p. 124. 10 Anis Apriliawati, op. cit., p. 39. 11 Sanggam Siahaan, op. cit., p. 73. 12 Barbara Fine Clouse, The Students Writer, The Asia Foundation: Erancisco Califonia, USA, p. 187.

3. The Grammatical Features of Narrative Text

Narrative text usually includes the following grammatical features. Here the writer explains the grammatical features of narrative text with the example. They are: a. Noun that identify the specific characters and place in the story e.g. farmer, hurter, village, man, goose, egg b. Adjective that provides accurate descriptions of the characters and settings e.g. poor farmer, old man, long gray bears, expensive thing, ordinary egg, golden egg, lazy, arrogant, greedy farmer c. Verb that show the actions that occur in the story e.g. lost, prayed, passed, too pity, gave, help, found, forgotten, laid, too late d. Times words that connect events, telling when they occurred e.g. long time ago, one day, few days later, thereafter. 13

4. Schematic Structure of Narrative Text

An effective narrative text has several significant characteristics, which may use as standard guide. In a traditional narrative the focus of the text is on a series of actions: 14

a. Orientation

This is the part in which the narrator tells the audience about who is in the story, when the story is taking place and where the action is happening. It can also call as introductory part of a story. Thus, the reader can figure out what will happen next and who are involved in it. b. Complication This is the part of the story where the narrator tells about something that will begin a chain of events. These events will affect one or more of the characters. The complication is the trigger. From this part the story begins. This is the part where the characters totally play their role. 13 Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson, Text Types in English 3, South Yara: McMillan Education 2003, p. 43. 14 Mark and Kathy Anderson, op. cit., p. 12.