READING ACTIVELY AND THINKING CRITICALLY

Reading and thinking critically about a narrative requires you to read the selection and reflect on its meaning, consider it in terms of your own experience, and, finally, examine and challenge the author’s attitude as it is shown in the selection. (For more on reading actively, see Chapter 3. For more on thinking critically, see Chapter 4.)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR, HIGHLIGHT, AND ANNOTATE

Use these guidelines to read narratives actively.

  1. Preview. Preview the essay to get an overview of its content and organization. (For more on previewing, see Chapter 3.)
  2. Understand the sequence of events. Read the narrative thoroughly to familiarize yourself with the events and action, noting who did what, when, where, and how. Focus on the sequence of events. Hint: Especially for lengthy or complex narratives and for those that flash back and forward among events, try drawing a graphic organizer or numbering the sequence of events in the margins.
  3. Think about the meaning. Reread the narrative, this time concentrating on its meaning, by answering the following questions:
    • What is the writer’s thesis? Is it stated directly or implied?
    • What is the author’s purpose in writing this narrative? For what audience is it intended? What techniques does the writer use to achieve his or her purpose with this audience?
    • What is each participant’s role in the story? What does the dialogue reveal about the participants or contribute to the main point?
    • What is the conflict, and how is it resolved? How does the writer create tension? When does the climax occur? Pay attention to the issue, struggle, or dilemma.
    • What broader issue is the essay concerned with? For example, in a story about children who dislike eating vegetables, the larger issue might be food preferences, nutrition, or parental control.

    You may want to highlight sentences or sections that reveal or suggest the answers.

  4. Consider your reactions. As you read, write down your reactions to and feelings about the events, participants, and outcome of the narrative, both positive and negative. Do not hesitate to question or challenge participants, their actions, and their motives. Once you’ve identified the larger issue, try relating it to your own experiences. Finally, ask yourself what the lasting value or merit of this essay is. What does it tell you about life, people, jobs, or friendships, for example?

ANALYZING NARRATIVES

A nonfiction narrative is often one writer’s highly personal, subjective account of an event or a series of events. Unless you have reason to believe otherwise, assume that the writer is honest — that he or she does not lie about the experiences or incidents presented in the essay. You should also assume, however, that the writer chooses details selectively, with the goal of advancing his or her narrative point. Use the following questions to think critically about the narratives you read.

How objective is the writer? Because a narrative is often highly personal, readers must recognize that the information it contains is likely influenced by the author’s values, beliefs, and attitudes. Two writers may present two very different versions of a single incident. In “Right Place, Wrong Face” for example, the author presents the police officers as uncaring and insensitive, but imagine how the officers would describe the same incident.

What is the writer’s tone? Tone refers to how the author sounds to his or her readers or how he or she feels about the topic: angry, joyous, fearful, or some combination. Writers establish tone through word choice, sentence structure, and formality or informality. The author’s tone often affects the reader’s attitude toward the topic. In “Writing about What Haunts Us,” for example, Orner gains his readers’ sympathy by creating a tone of regret and sadness.

What does the writer leave unspoken or unreported? A writer usually cannot report all conversations and events related to the narrative; however, the author should report everything that is relevant. Pay attention to what is said and reported but also to what might be left unsaid and unreported. For example, in “Writing about What Haunts Us,” Orner does not tell his reader what happened when he told his dad about the stolen gloves. He only tells us that he told his dad, and he leaves the details of that confession to our imagination.