A narrative tells a story by using a series of events or actions in a specific sequence. Events are not reported so much as presented as they happen. Characters are developed by what they do, say, and think. The writer deliberately chooses details that will dramatize the development of the story using obvious happenings and sometimes with psychological insight. Events are shaped and molded to fit the needs of the story leaving out unnecessary details.

The purpose of a storyline in an essay is to support the thesis of the essay by telling of an experience that makes the point better than just listing facts. Everyone loves a story; however, the writer must be sure not to get carried away! The writer must always have a reason for telling the story. What can be learned from the story? What change happened in the life of the writer because of the personal experience? What should the reader understand from reading the personal narrative essay? When you have determined why the story should be used, plan your thesis statement, even though it may change as you develop the essay. Remember that a tentative thesis statement is a place to begin and that a thesis statement is crucial to every essay. A personal narrative essay tells a continuous story that happens in one span of time. It has a beginning, a middle and an end to the story. The introduction sets up the opinion in the thesis statement, the body of the essay develops the sequence of events, and the conclusion restates in different words the basic thesis of the essay. Like a camera captures a vivid picture, the words of the essay should make the reader participate in the experience so that the writer's experience can be shared and the purpose of the essay is accomplished.

Pacing the story requires the restructuring of the experience not the literal sequence of events. Too many minor details may be boring and hinder the sequence of the story. Pacing requires the writer to omit or gloss over insignificant details and to concentrate on the more important details. Otherwise, the reader may turn away from the narrative as being too tedious and boring. Properly paced, the writer's story will focus on those details that move the story along and avoid unneeded information. John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath keeps the reader's interest both in the ongoing story and in the chapters which add related side information (such as the turtle attempting to cross the road or the travelers' custom of forming circles with the vehicles at night much like the covered wagons). This balance enriches the story line because the pacing is so perfect for the narrative.

Another necessary element in narrative requires the story to be told with a consistent point of view. This may be from the viewpoint of one of the characters; if the story is told in first person, the character refers to himself as I. If the story is told in third person, characters are referred to as he, she, or they or by name or some other identification. Realistic dialogue can be helpful, but it is difficult to write, so be sure that it is necessary to the storyline before you use it. The language used by the teller of the story and the style of speaking must be appropriate to the character. Obviously, a child's vocabulary and style will differ from that of an adult; people in varying vocations or regions of the country will have different patterns of speech. This consistent point of view must be used throughout the story in order to be believable and effective. William Faulkner's use of point of view from three radically different characters (a grown man, a female child, and a retarded male) makes The Sound and the Fury an intriguing and challenging story.

The use of vivid details helps the reader to visualize both the setting and the characters. Characters can be brought to life by the inclusion of details of physical appearance and clothing styles. Settings can be established through appropriate details which bring to the reader's memory similar settings or create settings with fantastic details not in the reader's experience. Care must be taken not to overdo the details until the language of the narrative becomes labored and stilted. On the other hand, too little description will make the story seem flat and boring. Editing and practice with the use of details will help the writer to use the appropriate amount and kind of detail. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien was made vivid and intriguing by the marvelous use of descriptive details of the terrain through which the groups traveled on their quests and the appearances of the various groups such as the hobbits, dwarves, and fairies.

Many narratives include the exact words stated by the characters, often in conversations between them. Dialogue must be appropriate to the characters and illustrate the personality of each of the characters. Care must be taken not to overdo the use of dialects which may seem artificial; dialogue should advance the story not slow it down. Only those conversations that further the story should be included. Writers should take care not to be too flowery and avoid "fancy" language. Much editing will probably be necessary to accomplish effective use of dialogue. Mark Twain was able to give life to his characters in Tom Sawyer using dialogue while many other writers destroy their credibility by inappropriate dialogue.

The use of narrative is effective in story form writings as small as a paragraph or short story or in a full-length novel. It is also effective in essays where a brief section needs the personal touch that only narrative can provide. Frequently, narrative, which is subjective, may be useful in introductions and conclusions to essays that are basically objective writings. However, in this essay, we will be using the personal narrative throughout the essay as the dominant mode of writing. In future assignments, you may wish to use this form of composition in smaller sections of the essay.

• Write about an experience you have had with someone from another culture whose background makes it confusing to understand some aspect of your culture.
• Write about your experience being the alien in a situation such as a large city or rural setting which you are unfamiliar with.
• Write about an embarrassing situation where two people had to interact.
• Write about two people of differing ages and show how the generation gap caused problems.