What defines narrative text?

Narrative text is primarily defined by its focus on telling a story or recounting events, whether they are fictional or based on real-life occurrences. This type of text engages readers through a structured sequence of events, often featuring characters, settings, and a plot that unfolds over time. The central aspect of narrative text is its storytelling component, which invites readers to connect with the experiences and emotions conveyed within the narrative.

While analyzing character motivations can be a part of narrative studies, it does not singularly define narrative text itself. Summarizing facts and figures typically pertains to expository or informational texts, which aim to present data objectively without a narrative structure. Similarly, texts that contain persuasive arguments are aligned with argumentative or opinion-based writing, which strives to convince the reader of a particular point of view rather than to narrate a story. The emphasis on recounting events in narrative text is what distinctly classifies it within literary forms.