The Short Story: Dramatizing the Narration

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Last updated: November 5, 2017 at 13:00 pm

jungle photoDramatization of the narration in a story helps to create suspense and excitement. Instead of dull reporting of events, dramatize the events of a short story to keep your reader gripped and excited. Use graphic description that makes the story seem extra-realistic. Remember, when you’re writing, that your reader is of the preconceived idea that the story is fictional. However, giving graphic details of events and incidents gives your fictional story a tinge of realism that makes it captivating. Here’s an example:

In my short story “Lost in the Jungle,” I could write:

Around midnight, a venomous and ugly snake crawled over me. I was terrified. But I was smart enough to remain calm and let it pass.

I will write instead:

At around midnight, I was awakened by the touch of a cold, soft substance on my left hand. Slithering softly, the deadly snake caressed my skin as it made its way across my chest. I almost jerked suddenly out of fear and wanted to spring to my feet. But the explorer’s wisdom in me came into play. I knew that any sudden movement would cause this animal to strike.

Never before did I experience this horrendous creature at such a close range. I now had the pleasure or the horror of knowing what it feels like to become intimate with such a diabloic creature, and I dreaded the thought.

As the animal crawled upon my chest, I saw it’s stripe body change color from green and black to yellow and brown, and then to black and gray. For a moment, it slithered its forked tongue straight at my face. I was shivering deep down. A cold sweat gripped me. I thought I would faint or freak out at any moment. I wanted to grab the animal and fling it away from me. But I knew that any suh act would cause it to react – perhaps in a deadly way.

The serpent seemed to look me in the eyes, and as it did, I saw its eyes glare with red fire. Its cold body continued to slither, now coming in the direction of my head. I tried to close my eyes to prevent from seeing this horrible creature, but fear kept them wide open.

The animal’s cold, soft body grazed over my face as it disappeared into the grass and away between the trees. I lay stiff in horror as a dead corpse till morning.

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