Narrative essay

Eseul narativ (the narrative essay)– cel mai important pas înainte de redactarea eseului este planificarea, mai ales pentru a ne asigura că evenimentele sunt relatate exact în ordinea în care acestea au avut loc. Într-un eseu narativ, povestirea trebuie să fie captivantă încă din primul paragraf, iar partea cea mai interesantă a sa este revelată abia spre final. În acest mod se creează suspansul.

Linia generală a unui asemenea plan este următoarea:

Detalii pre-evenimet

Evenimentul propriu-zis

Detalii post-evenimet.

Totuşi, planul eseului conţine mai multe idei.

Ex.

Plan

Titlu (Title): The Man on the Bridge

Evenimentul Principal (Main event): late at night a man climbs over a thick wall surrounding a big old house

Detalii pre-eveniment (Before the event)

-          midnight: bridge, cold air, darkness

-          Tom walks on the bridge

-          someone approaches; Tom is afraid

-          steps come nearer and nearer; Tom is curious to see the person coming

-          Tom pretends to stop and sees the stranger: description of the person

Evenimentul propriu-zis (The event)

-          “conversation”: the man wants to know something

-          Tom gets suspicious

-          Tom decides to follow the man and see what he is doing

-          the man climbs the wall

Detalii post-eveniment (After the event)

-          Tom is now sure

-          Tom calls the police

-          the man is a close relative of the house owner

The Man on the Bridge

The big Abbey clock was striking midnight when Tom began to cross the bridge quite in a hurry. The air was cold and damp and he was shivering. A low mist hung over the river and the street lamps provided little light.

Tom was eager to get home. He was already thinking about the fire in the fireplace and a nice cup of hot chocolate. His footsteps rang loudly on the pavement. When he reached the middle of the bridge he thought he could hear someone approaching behind him. He looked back, but he could see no one. However, the sound continued and Tom began walking more and more quickly. Then he slowed down again, ashamed of himself for acting so foolishly. There was nothing to fear in a town as quit as this one.

The firm, quick steps grew louder until they seemed very near. Tom could not resist not looking back, but he could only catch sight of a dark figure.

He decided to stop. He could not do it suddenly, so he pretended to stop and tie a shoe lace. From the corner of his eye he could now make out the form of a man dressed in a large dark overcoat. A hat was pulled down over his eyes and very little of his face could be seen.

As the stranger came near, Tom turned towards him and looked at him. The man asked him where Wilson Mannor was. Tom got skared and could not answer. He was all shaking but somehow managed to point to a big old house in the distance. The stranger got quickly out of his sight.

This made Tom suspicious. He knew that only a pair of old people were living in that house and this man seemed quite young. What could he be looking for there? Almost without realizing what he was doing, Tom began following the stranger quietly. The man was soon outside the house and stopped a little to have a look and evaluate it. He waited for a while, and then began climbing noislessly over the wall.

Now Tom’s worst suspicions were confirmed. He walked quickly and silently across the street towards a telephone-box on the corner.  The police came in a minute and Tom felt relieved. The thief was going to be caught in the act. He was still in the house.

But a big surprise was waiting for all of them when they all entered the house: the stranger and the two old people were sitting at the table and having a late dinner. The stranger was their nephew, who came unexpectedly to pay them a visit. He wanted to surprise them.

Tehnica narativă constă în idei ca:

-          folosirea propoziţiilor scurte şi clare în locul frazelor lungi şi obositoare

ex. He did come back an hour later. Moreover, he came in the biggest staff car I had ever seen. I asked him how he had obtained such a car.

În loc de Actually, he came back an hour later driving the biggest staff car I had ever seen and I asked him how he had obtained such a car.

-          folosirea construcţiilor participiale, utilizate fie ca o alternativă la cuvintele de legătură, fie pentru a face referire la un timp trecut ori prezent.

ex. Never having learned to swim, I rarely go to the seaside.

 În loc de I have never learned to swim and that is why I rarely go to the seaside.

Defeated in the battle, the General resigned.

În loc de The general was defeated in the battle and, as a result, he resigned.

Dying of thirst, I drank water from the nearest river.

În loc de I was dying of thirst. I drank water from the nearest river.

In the first chapter of the book John is crossing the Sahara desert, looking like a tramp.

În loc de In the first chapter of the book, John is crossing the Sahara desert, looking like a tramp.

Shot down over Spain, he was taken to a local hospital.

În loc de He was shot down over Spain. He was taken to a local hospital.

Having been attacked by a dog as a child, he was now terrified of them.

În loc de As a child, he had been attacked by a dog. He was now terrified of them.