Chronological
order is a way of arranging expository writing about events so
that the information is presented in the same time order in which
the events occurred.
Such exposition is chrono- (a prefix meaning
time) logical.
It is also mucho-threatening to students. I prefer to use the
term narrative string, which is less threatening
and more descriptive for beginning writers.
Narration is based on time order
When we tell or narrate something that happened, we put
the events in time order. If you've ever heard a third grader
tell about what happened at school, you've heard why I say the
chronological format is a narrative string. It sounds like this:
I was going to the art room and Mrs. Bromley stopped
me in the hall and said where was I going and I said the art room
and she said didn't I know art class is on Tuesday and I said
yes but Miss Wales wanted me to get the papers she left on the
desk and she said well I'd better not waste time and I think she's
awful mean.
In narrative strings, as the example shows, all the information
appears equally important; nothing is subordinate. The audience
must analyze the narrative string to decide what is or is not
important.
In conversation, listeners may be able to pick out the important
points readily, thanks to the speaker's tone, facial expression
and gestures. In writing, however, a narrative string turns an
audience off. Readers expect the narrator to aim all the detail
toward making one point.
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However, once narrators decide what aspects of their narrative
strings are important, they can use chronological order to arrange
their material.
Often writers use narration in one paragraph or one section of
a larger work that follows a different expository writing pattern.
For example, an analysis
of a literary work would follow the thesis + support (or "persuasive
essay") format. However, the plot summary would be a narrative.
When you need time order
We use time order for:
-
Giving directions.
-
Describing procedures.
-
Explaining processes.
In each of those activities, the chronological order of events
is very important. Can you imagine trying to follow the directions
"Take two rights and a left, not necessarily in that order"?
Limitations of narrative strings
Time order does not provide the connections between ideas
necessary to convey a reasoned opinion. Since an essay must, by
definition, support a thesis, chronological order cannot be used
as the overall format
for an essay.
For example, a true personal story cannot be passed off as
an essay. That's where most students wipe out when asked
to write a narrative essay. They write a narrative string rather
than an essay.
Chronological
order is one of four common types of nonfiction strings that can
be used in nonfiction exposition. The others are
alphabetical order, numerical
order and spatial
order.
