Employing Narrative in an Essay
Mark Twain once wrote, “Don’t say the old lady screamed—bring her on and let her scream.” What he was trying to convey is the power of storytelling, or narration, in a piece of writing. Many times it is more effective to tell a story, to let the old lady scream, than to just state facts or state an argument—that is, to say the old lady screamed. Narrative essays are essays that enable you to tell a story (or stories) to make a point.
A well-chosen and well-told story will capture and hold your readers’ attention, arousing their curiosity or sympathy, and making your ideas more thought-provoking and memorable.