Top 6 Best Preparations for 'The Narrator in Narrative Texts' for Grade 9

A. GUIDELINES FOR UNDERSTANDING THE LESSON

I. The Role of the Narrator in Narrative Texts

In narrative texts, storytelling can be done either in the first person (where the narrator uses 'I') or in the third person. The third-person narrator remains unseen but is omnipresent throughout the story, seemingly knowing everything—every action, thought, and feeling of the characters.

The narrator's role is to guide the reader through the narrative:

Introduce characters and situations.
Describe people and settings.

II. Reading Comprehension

1. Read the excerpt from *Lặng lẽ Sa Pa* by Nguyễn Thành Long.

2. Answer the following questions:

a. The excerpt describes the farewell between the old painter, the young man, and the girl.

b. The narrator of this story is not one of the three characters—the old painter, the young man, or the girl—because the story is told in the third person. If any of the characters were the narrator, they would need to use 'I', and the narrative would reflect their personal perspective.

c. Sentences like 'a laugh tinged with regret' or 'the young woman who would soon part, knowing she'd never meet him again' are the narrator's observations of the young man's emotions. In other words, the narrator speaks for the young man, voicing his inner thoughts and feelings during the farewell.

d. By analyzing the narrative perspective, the objects described, and the narrative style, we see that the narrator seems to know and observe everything—the actions, thoughts, and emotions of all characters.

B. GUIDELINES FOR PRACTICE

1. Read the excerpt from *Trong lòng mẹ* by Nguyên Hồng on page 194 of your textbook.

2. Answer the following questions:

a. Compare the excerpt from *Lặng lẽ Sa Pa* with the passage from *Trong lòng mẹ*. How is the narration different?

- In *Trong lòng mẹ*, the narrator is a character (the boy), who tells his emotional reunion with his mother after a long separation.

- The first-person narrative allows the narrator to deeply explore the character's thoughts and feelings. However, this perspective is limited as it doesn’t allow for an objective portrayal of other characters' perspectives, making the narrative more one-sided.

b. Choose one of the three characters (the old painter, the young man, or the female engineer) to be the narrator. Then, rewrite the passage in the first-person perspective, making sure the character's voice and perspective align with the chosen narrator.

I. The Role of the Narrator in Narrative Texts

1. Read the passage

2. Answer the following questions:

a. The excerpt tells of the farewell moment between the old painter, the young man, and the girl.

b. The narrator of this story is not one of the three characters. It could be the author or a third-party observer who recounts the events objectively. If any of the three characters were the narrator, the perspective would shift to 'I'.

c. The sentence 'a laugh tinged with regret' is the narrator’s observation of the young man's thoughts and emotions. These words do not come directly from the young man, as the third-person perspective provides a more objective view of the situation.

d. Based on the narrator's perspective, the objects described, and the tone of narration, we can see that the narrator has witnessed everything—the actions and emotions of the three characters in detail.

II. Practice: The Narrator in Narrative Texts

Question 1 on page 193 in the Grade 9 Literature Textbook, Volume 1

Compare the excerpts from Nguyên Hồng and Nguyễn Thành Long:

The narrator in Nguyên Hồng's excerpt is the character 'I'—the boy in the emotional reunion with his mother after a long separation.

The first-person perspective helps convey the character's emotions in a personal and intimate way. However, it is limited in its objectivity and breadth.

Question 2 on page 193 in the Grade 9 Literature Textbook, Volume 1

Students can choose any character to adopt the narrator’s perspective, transforming the narration to fit the first-person point of view.

I. The Role of the Narrator in Narrative Texts

1. Read the excerpt

2.

- The excerpt describes the farewell between three characters: the young man, the old painter, and the female engineer.

- The narrator is an unseen figure, not one of the characters in the story.

- Phrases such as 'a laugh tinged with regret' or 'the girl who is leaving, knowing she will never see him again' are the narrator’s reflections on the young man’s thoughts and feelings.

- The narrator seems to observe and understand everything: the actions, emotions, and thoughts of all characters involved.

By analyzing the storyteller, the characters described, the narrative point of view, and the style of narration, it’s clear that the narrator is all-knowing and fully aware of the events, thoughts, and emotions of the characters.

II. Practice

Exercise 1 (page 193, Literature Textbook Grade 9, Volume 1)

Read the excerpt

Exercise 2 (page 193, Literature Textbook Grade 9, Volume 1)

a. Comparing the excerpt from *Lặng lẽ Sa Pa* with the passage from *Trong lòng mẹ* (Nguyên Hồng):

- The narrator in *Trong lòng mẹ* is the character 'I'—the boy in the story.

- The first-person perspective allows the narrator to deeply express his inner thoughts and emotions, giving insight into complex emotional changes.

- However, the limitation of this perspective is that it lacks objectivity and cannot provide a comprehensive view of the other characters, making the narrative feel somewhat one-dimensional.

b. Choose the female engineer as the narrator:

As I heard the young man exclaim, 'Oh no, only 5 minutes left!' followed by a regretful tone, I too felt a sense of shock and uncertainty. Was our farewell already upon us? What had we even said to one another? And what about the revered old painter?

As I stood up, the young man suddenly called out:

- Oh! You’ve forgotten your handkerchief!

I turned back, took the handkerchief, my face flushed with embarrassment, and quickly turned away. The old painter had moved toward the door but suddenly turned back to grab the young man’s hand, shaking it firmly:

- Goodbye! I will definitely return! Can I stay with you for a few days?

I silently walked toward the young man, extended my hand for him to take. He grasped it gently, his hand trembling slightly. I looked directly into his eyes, saying nothing. He remained silent, but it felt as though we had shared everything. I whispered:

- Goodbye!

Part I: THE ROLE OF THE NARRATOR IN NARRATIVE TEXTS

1. Read the excerpt

2. Answer the questions:

a. Who or what is the story about?

b. Who is the narrator of this story?

c. The phrases 'a laugh tinged with regret'... are observations of which character, about whom?

d. What evidence can you provide to argue that the narrator seems to know everything about the characters' actions, feelings, and thoughts?

Answer:

a. The story describes the farewell moment between the elderly artist, the girl, and the young man.

b. The narrator of this scene is not present in the story and is not one of the characters. We can see the characters being described objectively: 'The young man entered, calling out'; 'The girl smirked, her face flushed'; 'suddenly, the old artist turned around'... If the narrator were one of these three characters, the narrative perspective and wording would change, using 'I' or the name of one of the characters. Therefore, the narrator is an external observer, not a participant in the story.

c. The phrases 'a laugh tinged with regret' and 'the girls are about to leave and will never see us again' reflect the narrator's thoughts and feelings about the young man. These observations allow the narrator to empathize with the character, but they also represent a broader sentiment that many might share in such a situation. If the young man were speaking these lines himself, the expression would be more limited to his personal emotions, reducing the general applicability.

d. Based on the choice of narrator, the objects being described, the narrative point of view, and the style of narration, we can conclude that the narrator has an omniscient viewpoint and is aware of every action, thought, and feeling of the characters.

Part II: PRACTICE

Answer question 1 (page 194, Vietnamese Language Textbook 9, Volume 1):

Compare the excerpt by Nguyên Hồng with the passage by Nguyễn Thành Long analyzed earlier to highlight similarities and differences: Who is the narrator here? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this narrative perspective compared to the one in the previous passage?

Answer:

- The narrator in Nguyên Hồng's excerpt is the character 'I' (first-person perspective), the young boy, in an emotional reunion with his mother after a long separation.

- This perspective allows the narrator to deeply explore the inner thoughts and emotions of the character 'I'. However, it has limitations when it comes to providing a comprehensive view of the other characters, as it lacks the ability to depict their actions and feelings as objectively as other perspectives might.

Answer question 2 (page 194, Vietnamese Language Textbook 9, Volume 1):

Choose one of the three characters as the narrator and rewrite the passage from Section I to fit the first-person perspective.

Answer:

You may choose any of the three characters (the elderly artist, the girl, or the young man) to narrate the story. Note that this choice significantly affects the portrayal of events, characters, and emotions. For example, if the girl were the narrator, the lines like 'The young man entered, calling out...' would change to: 'He entered and called out to me. To stop me from returning to the table, he handed me the handkerchief wrapped in a book. I smirked, my face flushed, and hurriedly walked away.' These lines would have to shift to reflect the girl's perspective, as she cannot describe her own face, only her feelings about it.

A. CORE KNOWLEDGE

1. The Role of the Narrator in Narrative Texts

1.1. Read the following excerpt: 'Oh no, only five minutes left!' The young man exclaimed suddenly, his voice filled with a laugh, yet tinged with regret. He rushed to the back of the house, then quickly returned holding a basket. The artist shook his head and stood up. The girl also stood, gently placing her chair back and leisurely walked toward the old man. 'Oh! You forgot your scarf!' the young man called out as he entered. To prevent the girl from returning to the table, he handed her the scarf, which had been crumpled between the pages of a book. The young engineer's face flushed red as she quickly took the scarf and hurried away. 'Goodbye.' At the doorway, the old artist turned around and grabbed the young man's hand, shaking it firmly. 'I'm sure I'll return. Can I stay with you for a few days?' The girl also bid farewell, offering her hand to the young man, cautiously, as though she were giving him something, rather than just a handshake. She gazed directly into his eyes — the girls who are about to part forever, knowing they will never meet again, or look at him like that again. 'Goodbye.'

1.2. Reflect and answer the following questions:

a. What is the excerpt about? Who are the characters involved?

b. Who is narrating the events in this excerpt? What signs indicate that the characters themselves are not the narrators?

c. The phrases 'a laugh filled with regret' and 'the girls who are about to leave, knowing they will never see us again, or look at us like this' — whose observations are these, and about whom?

d. What evidence can you provide to argue that the narrator seems to know everything about the characters’ actions, thoughts, and feelings?

Answer:

a. The story focuses on the young man, the girl, and the elderly artist, describing their farewell. The farewell carries a sense of reluctance and emotional attachment.

b. The story is told in the third person, so the narrator is not one of the characters. If the narrator were one of the characters, they would be referred to by name or 'I'.

c. The phrases 'a laugh filled with regret' and 'the girls who are about to leave' reflect the narrator's thoughts about the young man, expressing his emotions and sadness during the farewell.

d. The narrator provides a clear and detailed account of the events, delving into the characters' thoughts and emotions. The narrator describes, tells, and voices the characters' internal states, demonstrating a deep understanding of their inner feelings.

B. PRACTICE AND SOLUTION GUIDE

EXERCISES

Questions 1 and 2: Page 193, Vietnamese Language Textbook 9, Volume 1 Read the excerpt from the textbook and answer the questions:

a. How does the narration in this excerpt differ from the one in Section I (in 'Silent Sapa')? Answer the following questions to clarify: Who is the narrator here? What are the strengths and limitations of this narrative perspective compared to the one in the previous excerpt?

b. Choose one of the three characters (the elderly artist, the girl, or the young man) as the narrator, and rewrite the excerpt from Section I in the first-person perspective, so that the character, events, language, and narration align with the first-person point of view.

Answer:

a. In the excerpt from 'In My Heart', the narrator uses the first-person perspective, 'I', and is the character — a young boy. This perspective allows the narrator to deeply express personal thoughts and emotions. However, it limits the narrative scope, as the narrator can only describe what they directly experience, and cannot delve into other characters' inner worlds.

b. The excerpt could be rewritten from the perspective of the young man as follows: 'Oh no, only five minutes left!' I exclaimed, my voice filled with regret. I ran to the back of the house, then quickly returned holding a basket. The artist shook his head and stood up. The girl stood as well, gently placing her chair back, and leisurely walked toward the elderly man. I entered and called out: 'Oh! You forgot your scarf!' To prevent her from going back to the table, I handed her the crumpled handkerchief from the book. The young engineer's face turned red, and she quickly took the handkerchief from me and hurried away. At the door, the elderly artist grabbed my hand, shaking it firmly and saying, 'Goodbye. I’ll definitely come back. Can I stay with you for a few days?' The girl also said her goodbyes, offering her hand for me to shake, cautiously and distinctly, as if giving me something special, not just a handshake. She gazed directly into my eyes — those girls about to leave, knowing they will never see me again, or look at me like that again. 'Goodbye.'