Read “Narrative Techniques” in this week’s readings to learn techniques and strategies writers use to create a vibrant scene. Then read and annotate the student sample narrative below for all of the narrative techniques.
Annotating a text is a vital literate practice for critical reading as it helps you achieve a deeper, more multifaceted, and purposeful understanding of a text. For example, this assignment asks you to annotate a text for the purpose of learning from the choices and techniques a writer made creating the text. Make all of the following annotations, including comments or thoughts you have about how the techniques are or are not effective and why and why you think the writer choose to use the techniques in these ways:
- Find and label where you believe the scene starts and ends. Remember that a scene takes place in real time.
- Label sensory details according to the sense in question: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. Label at least five sensory details (the same sense may be labeled multiple times if used in different areas).
- Label dialogue, either individual lines or blocks of conversation. Label dialogue that takes place in at least three different conversations.
- Label anything you think is the thoughts of the point of view character at the time. Think of dialogue within the mind of the character. Label at least three different areas where you see the thoughts of the point of view character.
- Label where you get a clear sense of how the character is feeling by naming the emotion. Label at least five places where you can label a clear and strong emotion that is conveyed.
Feel free to add any other annotations or comments you wish.
Choose a submission type
