Summary
1. Narration assumes a variety of forms,—incidents, anecdotes, stories, letters, novels, histories, biographies, etc.,—all concerned with the relation of events.
2. The essential characteristics of a narration are,— a. An introduction which tells the characters, the time, the place, and enough of the attendant circumstances to make clear the point of the narrative. b. The early introduction of an incentive moment. c. A climax presented in such a way as to maintain the interest of the reader. d. The selection of details essential to the climax in accordance with the principle of unity. e. The arrangement of these details in a coherent order. f. The skillful introduction of minor details which will assist in the appreciation of the point. g. The introduction of all necessary description and explanation. h. That additional effectiveness which comes from (1) Proper choice of words. (2) Suitable comparisons and figures. (3) Variety of sentence structure. i. A brief conclusion.