0500, PAPER 2, SECTION

B, NARRATIVE WRITING
By Ms Mehala
Lesson 1 and 2
Monday 4/5/2020
Lesson Objective
By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to
1. Define Narrative Writing.
2. Verbally Respond to the Narrative Components/Form of Assessment.
3. Analyse the marking scheme for Narrative Writing.
4. List down and respond to the IGCSE examiner's Advice on Narrative Writing.
5. Analyse and respond verbally to the features of a Narrative Writing
5. Analyse 2 samples of Narrative Writing essay.
Lesson Outline
■1. Marking Scheme
■2. Examiners’ Advice
■3. Elements of Narrative Writing/Tips
■4. POV
■5. Setting
■6. Characters/Dialogue
■5. . Plot
■5. Type of Conflicts
■6. Narrative Beginning
■7. Climax
■6. Narrative Ending
■7. Special Techniques
■8. Sample Candidates’ Response
■9. Analysis of Sample Candidates’ Response
■10. Examiners’ Feedback
■11. Past Year Paper Practice
■ Openings to compositions are important as they either engage the reader or they don’t, and
this affects the examiner’s attitude from the beginning.
■ It is essential that you choose a question out of the six available which you understand and
which suits your writing abilities, as students are rarely equally proficient in all three writing
genres.
■ The three genres of question are marked differently for Content and Structure; They are
marked according to the same mark scheme for Style and Accuracy. The style of expression
of the three genres is very different, so you need to be aware of the characteristics of each.
■ Whichever type of essay you choose, it should be planned first. If after 5 mins you have only
managed to collect a few ideas for your choice of title, switch to another one. The plan should
contain between 6 to 10 points or ideas, which can be developed into paragraphs, if the essay
is going to be of a suitable content and length. Aim for approx. 8 paragraphs and 400 words
■ Generally, maturity of content and expression is required for higher marks i.e. maturity for a
16 yr old.
■ This is the only part of the 0500 exam in which you can show off your range of personal
vocabulary, so make good use of the opportunity.
Setting in a Narrative Essay/
■ The setting is the environment in which a story or event takes place. Setting can include
specific information about time and place (e.g. Boston, Massachusetts, in 1809) or can
simply be descriptive (eg. a lonely farmhouse on a dark night). Often a novel or other long
work has an overall setting (e.g. a Midwestern town during the Depression), within which
episodes or scenes occur in different specific settings (eg. the courthouse). Geographical
location, historical era, social conditions, weather, immediate surroundings, and time of day
can all be aspects of setting.
■ Setting provides a backdrop for the action. Think about setting not just as factual information
but as an essential part of a story's mood and emotional impact. Careful portrayal of setting
can convey meaning through interaction with characters and plot. For example, in Jack
London's Call of the Wild, the setting for Buck's adventures changes frequently, moving from
a civilized environment to a wild and dangerous environment. These changes of setting are
crucial to Buck's development as a character and to the events in the tale.
Where is it?
When is it?

What is the weather like?

What are the social
conditions?

What is the landscape or

environment like?
What special details make the
setting vivid?
Dialogues….
■Man vs. Self
"Man vs. Self" is the only true version of internal conflict you will find in
literature. In this mode, the conflict takes place within the mind of the main
character, and often involves the character making a decision between right and
wrong, or other mixed emotions. However, this struggle could also exist in the
form of a character battling mental illness.
■Man vs. Man
"Man vs. Man" is probably the most common form of external conflict, and is
also known as interpersonal conflict. This mode lies at the heart of all dramatic
arts and places the struggle directly between the protagonist and the antagonist
-- otherwise known as the good guy and the bad guy. In a man vs. man conflict,
the protagonist wants something, and the antagonist obstructs the protagonist
from getting what he wants.
■Man vs. Society
This mode of external conflict occurs when the protagonist is placed at odds
with a government or cultural tradition. This type of conflict applies to societal
norms as well. For example, if a child gets in trouble with his parents for
sneaking out of the house at night, he is in conflict with the societal tradition
that children are expected to obey their parents.
■ Man vs. Nature
"Man vs. Nature" pits the main character against the forces of nature -- in the form of a natural
disaster or a similarly dangerous situation -- and is often associated with literary naturalism,
which hinges on the idea that nature is indifferent to humanity. Stephen Crane's short story, "The
Open Boat," is a prime example, and demonstrates that the sea can cause shipwrecks easily and
without regard for humanity.
■ Man vs. Machine/Technology/Science
"Man vs. Machine" can mean that a person is in direct combat with robots, in the context of
science fiction, or it could mean simply that technology stands in the way of the protagonist
getting what she wants. In the science-fiction version, the same attributes of a man vs. man
conflict apply. However, if a person struggles to keep a job that a new machine can do better, the
physical struggle is against the machine, but the emotional struggle is against the society that
breeds technology.
■ Man vs. Fate/Supernatural
"Man vs. Fate" exists in any story in which the protagonist is struggling against a god or gods. It
is sometimes considered part of "Man vs. Self" when focused on an internal, moral struggle, but
should be considered separate in the context of epics -- such as the "Iliad" and "Odyssey," in
which the gods are present antagonists. "Man vs. the Supernatural" falls into a similar standard: If
the protagonist is the only one witnessing supernatural acts, it could be considered "Man vs.
Self." However, if it's certain that these supernatural powers are real, then the mode of conflict
stands on its own.
■ Definition of climax: The climax of a plot is the point at
which the central conflict reaches the highest point. Climax is
also the term used to refer to the part of story where the tension
or action reaches its highest part. Sometimes, the climax is a
"crisis" point in the plot. Sometimes, it is just where things
"come to a head" and something happens or the main character
must make a decision that will lead to one outcome or another
of intensity. 
Ending a short story
The ending of a story doesn't necessarily have to be happy but it
has to make sense in a way that ties up what has happened.

■ The cliff-hanger - this isn’t an ending as such, it’s a way of tempting the reader to read
the next chapter or instalment. Charles Dickens wrote his chapters like this as they were
originally published in magazines in serial form. For example, does the spy manage to
stop the bomb in time?
■ The twist-in-the-tale - the reader will feel fairly sure about the ending, but in the final
part everything changes and we are surprised. For example, we learn that it isn’t a bomb
after all, it’s a birthday present!
■ The enigma ending - the story stops, but the reader is left a little unsure what will come
to happen, yet is intrigued by the possibilities - and still feels satisfied. For example, the
bomb is defused and everyone is safe, but then an army commander reports the theft of
another bomb... only this time twice as powerful.
■ TRY TO AVOID THE TRICK ENDING
■ The trick ending - a bomb will inevitably explode and
as it does, the narrator wakes up - it was all a dream.
This is too clichéd and unsatisfying for modern
readers.
■ The disconnected ending - the secret agent suddenly
stops worrying about the bomb, retires, and goes off to
play golf. Readers don't like this because the ending
has nothing to do with the story – very unsatisfying.
Other Interesting Techniques
1. The final graveyard flower is blooming, and its smell drifts through their house, speaking gently
the names of their dead.
(Foreshadows death)
2. The evening was still. Suddenly, a cool breeze started blowing and made a windy night.
(Foreshadows thunderstorm)
3. The most awful thing happened on a stormy evening,
The battle between good and evil started.
(Foreshadows danger)
4. Mary pulled back the curtains and saw some magpies sitting on the wall.
(Foreshadows gossip)
5. They thought there would not be more bodies; however, they could not believe the thought.
(Foreshadows murder)
6. An old man opens his drawer to find a magnifying glass, and sees a revolver.
(Foreshadows warning)
7. In the middle of the night, the father hears the back door opening. He rushes to check on his kids,
but a masked intruder is blocking the way with a knife.
(Foreshadows threat)
8. Rainbow sparks,
With shining lights.
(Foreshadows optimism)
1. With shining lights.
(Foreshadows optimism)
2. Inhale fresh air, exhale bad breath.
(Foreshadows new ideas)
3. From the window, the gusts look so furious, the roofs of high buildings are stripped off, and the trees are torn
up in the city.
(Foreshadows someone’s angst)
4. Michael sees his own face under Donavan’s mask.
(Foreshadows Donavan is his father)
5. They have made up their minds to remove an evil eye forever.
(Foreshadows harm to an evil character)
6. I observed devices,
The symbols in the books
To indicate the written future.
(Foreshadows writer)
7. As the twilight colors blush
The eyes of the night arouse.
(Foreshadows night)
8. The same old thinking and the same old results.
(Foreshadows change)
Examples of Flashback in Literature
■ Example #1: The Holy Bible (By Various Contributors)
The Bible is a good source of flashback examples. In the Book of Matthew, we see a
flashback has been used when Joseph, governor of Egypt, sees his brothers after several
years. Joseph “remembered his dreams” about his brothers, and how they sold him into
slavery in the past.
■ Example #2: Death of a Salesman (By Arthur Miller)
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman uses flashback to narrate Willy Loman’s memories of
the past. At one moment, Willy talks with his dead brother while playing cards with Charley.
He relives a past conversation in the present. This demonstrates a character that is physically
living in the present, but mentally living in the memories and events of the past.
■ Example #3: The Cruel Mother (By Anonymous)
Another example of flashback is the ballad of The Cruel Mother, in which a mother
remembers her murdered child. While going to church, she remembers her child’s birth,
growing up, and death. Later, she thinks back further to a distant time in her past to
remember how her own mother was ruthless to her.
Sample Candidates’ Response (Past Year Paper Topics)
40 Marks
A Narrative Analysis- (Narrative Features)
As they looked in the mirror they were amazed to find two ■ Notes/Analysis/
completely different people smiling back at them. The genetic Comments/Feedback
alteration had worked perfectly on the two fresh-faced recruits,
changing their DNA to that which was deemed suitable by the
Human Army. Their smiles wore off as quickly as the anesthetic did,
and both men now realised what they had become – no longer
individuals, but templates, only recognisable as different by the
differing numbers branded upon their shoulders.
Private B617 was still feeling the after-effects of the treatment as
he was carted into the adjacent room and his service uniform was
being fitted roughly onto him. His mind wandered to the past, to a
time before his name was a letter followed by three numbers, to a
time when he was Harry Elson, a farmer back on his home world.
The day was hot and lazy, and his beautiful, fair-haired wife was
beckoning him inside from the bright yellow cornfield as the golden-
orange sun faded in the sky. He remembered a helicopter, and a
military-looking man greeting him. Something about a war against a
race from far away, something about intervening after a neutral planet
had been invaded, something about doing his duty. Everything after
that blurred and mixed together in a swirl of colour.
Private B617 woke up from his daydream to find himself gripping a
combat rifle in a helicopter amongst a group of identical faces. ■ Notes/Analysis/
Outside, the lashing rain bounced off the flying helicopter, and in Comments/Feedback
the distance there was the muffled crackling of gunfire. B617
noticed that he was being addressed; a figure with a white stripe
down his shoulder-pad was bellowing orders against the cacophony
of noise outside. He was saying they had thirty seconds until their
drop, and their objective was to assist in resisting an enemy
counter-attack in this area. After a brief pause, the order came.
“Drop!”
The helicopter side-door was flung open and one by one, each
soldier hurled themselves out into the darkness.. The noise hit B617
like a wave. All around him was gunfire, screams, groans, death. As
one, the soldiers opened up their parachutes and glided down to the
scarred battlespace below them. He landed behind the charred
wreck of a helicopter, next to a soldier who seemed agitated and
was frantically attending to a stream of red on his arm. Getting
back to the task in hand, B617 looked up from the wreck, whipped
out his combat rifle and began firing blindly at dim specks of black
against the tormented sky. Suddenly he felt a searing pain in his
chest and bent double as if he had received a blow to the stomach.
His head fell down onto the soft, wet earth as his chest stained it
red. With his last ounce of strength, he looked up.
In front of him was his sweetheart, her long, flowing ■ Notes/Analysis/
Comments/Feedback
hair almost shimmering against the orange sky. The
bright yellow corn was swaying from side to side in
the cool summer breeze and all was quiet. Harry
smiled and then collapsed from exhaustion. Amidst
the chaos and bloodshed all around him, he allowed
his eyes to close. Like the retreating tide, Harry
slowly lost consciousness and another number
quietly faded away.
Examiner’s Comments

This is an excellent piece of writing and an example of a first class narrative completed
under exam conditions. The initial quotation blends in beautifully to a futuristic setting in
which men have become ‘templates, only recognisable as different by the differing
numbers branded upon their shoulders’. Referring to ‘a stream of red on his arm’ and
‘firing blindly at dim specks’ effortlessly underlines the fact that the soldier, and the
others, do not recognise what they are doing as they are now non-human. Flashback is
beautifully handled and is used again as a structural device to bring the dying ‘robot’
soldier back to a happier, human time and provide an excellent, well thought out ending.
The writing is sophisticated, clever and virtually error free.

Mark: 13 (content and structure) + 12 (style and accuracy)

Further Reference

https://
www.wattpad.com/story/112224747-descri
ptives-and-narratives-igcse-english
Preparation
For
Lesson 3
0500- Composition/Narrative Essay
Topics

Variant 1 Variant 2
Narrative Writing Narrative Writing
■ 4 Write a story which involves finding ■ 4 Write a story where a character decides
something which was previously to live a new life.
believed to have been lost or destroyed.
■ OR
OR
■ 5 Write a story that begins, ‘I thought the
■ 5 Write a story with the title, ‘The Day road would never end …
Before’.