NARRATIVE WRITING “HOOKING” THE READER

• AN INTERESTING BEGINNING HOOKS THE READERS INTEREST. • SOME LITERARY DEVICES TO USE AS HOOKS ARE: • FLASHBACK • FORESHADOWING • IN MEDIAS RES FLASHBACK

• A FLASHBACK IS A LITERARY DEVICE IN WHICH AN EVENT IS INSERTED INTO THE STORY OUT OF CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. • EXAMPLE: • “THE BUS WAS BITTER COLD. WE COULD SEE OUR BREATH AS WE MADE OUR WAY TO OUR SEATS. WE WERE USUALLY A LIVELY GROUP, LAUGHING AND SINGING ON THE BUS RIDE AFTER A GAME, BUT TONIGHT WE WERE A DIFFERENT TEAM.” FORESHADOWING

• FORESHADOWING IS A LITERARY DEVICE THAT GIVES THE READER AN INTRIGUING HINT AS TO WHAT WILL FOLLOW. • EXAMPLE: • “MY FIRST MORNING ON CAMPUS EVERYTHING LOOKED SO STRANGE. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT FERINON WOULD BECOME LIKE A SECOND HOME TO ME. IN MEDIAS RES

• THIS IS A LITERARY DEVICE IN WHICH THE STORY BEGINS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION; DETAILS ARE REVEALED LATER. • EXAMPLE: • “THE BALL WAS COMING RIGHT AT ME, BUT MY ARMS FELT TOO HEAVY TO LIFT.” ENDING THE STORY

• A GOOD ENDING SHOULD ALWAYS REFLECT THE OPENING. • IT CAN DO THAT BY… • TYING UP LOOSE ENDS. • GIVING THE READER SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. • TEACHING A LESSON. TYING UP LOOSE ENDS

• TWO MEN WALKED INTO THE RAIN FOREST.

• THEN THE MAN DROPPED HIS AX AND WALKED OUT OF THE RAIN FOREST. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

• WHEN THE EGGS HATCHED, THE LITTLE CROCODILES CRAWLED OUT ONTO THE RIVERBEACH, BUT CORNELIUS WALKED UPRIGHT. • LIFE ON THE RIVERBEACH WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME. TEACHING A LESSON

• IT WAS LATE ONE WINTER NIGHT, LONG PAST MY BEDTIME, WHEN PA AND I WENT OWLING. • WHEN YOU GO OWLING YOU DON’T NEED WORDS, OR WARM, OR ANYTHING BUT HOPE. THAT’S WHAT PA SAYS. THE KIND OF HOPE THAT FLIES ON SILENT WINGS UNDER A SHINING OWL MOON.