Historical Story Text: Definition, Structure, Values, Rules, Etc.

Definition of Historical Story Text

The definition of historical narrative text is an imaginary story written with a historical character or setting that actually happened. Although imaginative, this text still contains factual history but is only used for background and some other elements.

Basically, almost all prose or novels can contain historical value if the writing style used is realist style. However, the historical content will not be as strong as the historical narrative text. In order to eliminate the ambiguity that is prone to occur, we must also understand what historical texts are.

History Text

Historical texts are writings that contain stories, events or events that actually happened or took place in the past. The difference is very clear that historical texts are not imaginary stories but can be conveyed through a non-fiction prose writing style or still told through a writing style Literature.

Of course, especially for this one text, we must first understand what history is meant first. Here is the explanation.

History

Etymologically history comes from the word "syajaratun" (read: syajarah) in Arabic, which means wood tree. The meaning of the tree in question is referring to describing the tree growing from the ground up, branching, growing branches, leaves, to flowers and even fruit. The word history holds the meaning of growth or events (Yamin, 1958, p.4).

Meanwhile, in English, history is called history. History comes from the Greek, namely historia, which means what is known because of investigation. So that it can be interpreted that history is knowledge related to various events that occur in society through the process of investigation.

Through the origin of the word's meaning above, we can find out that history involves a series of processes of occurrence of knowledge through investigation or research. Thus, history is a track record of events taken based on facts that have occurred.

Understanding Historical Novels

Meanwhile, historical novels mean the writing of imagination or prose fiction with characters and/or historical events as a background written using a novel style, which is discussed at length and in detail. Although it does not actually record real events or figures, the historical basis is there.

How is it different from historical narrative texts? Text is a generic term. It could be referring to short stories, novelet, or even drama scenarios.

It should be reiterated that although the stories in historical novels are imaginary stories, the setting is rich in real history that happened. For example, how Pramoedya Ananta Toer wrote the historical novel "Bumi Manusia". What is the historical setting contained in the novel? For example, Indonesia used to be the Dutch East Indies, and that government really did exist in the past.

The novel also contains the story of the cruelty of Dutch colonialism. It also tells about human rights violations, court injustice against indigenous people, traditional Indonesian values, etc. Even though they are not recorded facts, these stories can be traced to the truth through history.

It can be concluded that historical novels are novels in which there are explanations and stories about the facts of past events whose background has historical value but is presented based on the author's imagination.

Difference Between Historical Text and Historical Novel

In conclusion, historical texts are facts, while story texts and historical novels are imaginations over facts. Meanwhile, the following is a comparative analysis of the differences between historical novels and historical texts.

No.	History Text	Historical novel
1.	Required to present factual things that really exist and have happened.	Free to describe something that never existed.
2.	Historians are obliged to convey something as it is, according to reality, it should not be contrived or added.	Novelists are completely free to create according to their imagination about what, when, who, and where, but still have a relationship with historical situations or figures.
3.	The relationship between facts needs to be reconstructed, at least involving topography or chronology.	The author's imagination and ability to create is what makes the story a coherence that has a relationship with historical situations.
4.	Historians must be able to prove that what is presented in the present can be traced to its existence in the past.	Not tied to historical facts completely, especially for what, who, when and where, no need for evidence or witnesses like historical texts.
5.	Historians are bound by the facts of what, who, when, and where The actors, the relationship between actors, conditions, life situations, and social conditions universally must be in accordance with the reality that is happening.	Actors or characters, relationships, situations, and conditions of society can come from imagination which only has relevance to history.

 (MoEC, 2017, p. 51)

Historical novels are categorized as re-novel or re-novel. There are three types of novels, namely:

1. Personal account, which contains the author's involvement in the event directly.
2. Factual accounts contain factual events, scientific experiments, news journals, police records, etc.
3. Imaginative recounts contain factual stories but are reimagined into more detailed and interesting stories.

Of course, historical novels are included in imaginative recounts. Where history is only the basis for the various building elements of the novel. Therefore, apart from enjoying the story, it is very important for us to be able to get what information is really factual and what is imaginary from this kind of novel.

Historical Novel Values

Historical novels contain many values ​​that are presented implicitly (directly) and implicitly (indirectly). Most of the values ​​generated are still following today's life or can be a lesson in this era. Here are the values ​​that can be present in historical novels.

1. Culture value
2. Moral/Ethical Values
3. Religious Value
4. Social Value
5. Aesthetic Value/Beauty

Determining Interesting Things from Historical Novels

The interest in historical novels will generate a variety of questions that are fun to discuss. Because we will continue to be made curious by the events and events that are in it.

Has such an incident ever happened? Where? Is this awesome character real? Historical novels will continue to tickle our curiosity. In addition to entertaining, this type of novel will also enrich our knowledge of history, which can be useful lessons for us to face the future.

Determining the interesting things from historical novels can be done in the following ways:

1. When is the setting and time of the story in the historical novel?
2. Where is the setting of the historical novel?
3. What events are narrated?
4. Who are the characters?
5. Which part indicates that the novel is a historical novel? (separate between fact and imagination)

Historical Story Text Structure

Like other stories (novels, short stories, etc.), historical story texts are included in the retelling category. Thus, both historical narrative texts and novels have the same text structure: orientation, disclosure of events, conflicts, complications, evaluations, and coda. The following is the structure of the historical story text according to the Ministry of Education and Culture Team (2017, p. 43).

1.      Introduction to story situations (orientation, exposition)

In this section, the author introduces the background of the time, place, and location and the beginning of the incident or event. Characters and relationships between characters are also introduced to suit their needs.

2.      Event disclosure

This section reveals the initial events or events that have the potential to cause various problems, conflicts, or difficulties facing the characters, especially the main character (protagonist).

3.      Conflict (rising action)

Here there is an increase in problems, disputes or other events that cause the character's difficulty to increase as well.

4.      Peak Conflict (complications)

It is the most thrilling, horrendous, and culminating part of the characters' problems, conflicts, or other events. 

5.      Solution (resolution)

If not followed by a coda, usually this section is the end of the story (ending), which contains the disclosure of how the main character and other characters solve the various problems that befall them. Sometimes it can be through an explanation or an assessment of the fate and attitudes experienced by the characters involved in the event.

6.      Code

It is a commentary that re-discusses the contents of all events and the behaviour of the characters involved. Sometimes this section provides an interpretation of the mandate but is not recommended. Better to let the reader draw his own conclusions. This section is optional, and sometimes coda is used to create some kind of teaser for the sequel, etc.

Language Rules of Historical Story Texts

Historical story texts have characteristics or linguistic rules in their writing. Here are some linguistic rules of historical narrative texts.

1. Using a lot of past meaning sentences, such as: "the soldier was ordered to clean the armoury has completed his task", "Elephant mada has succeeded in conquering his enemy".
2. Many use words or conjunctions that state the order of time (chronologically), such as: first, after that, then, then, since then.
3. It uses many verbs that describe an action or so-called material verbs: scratch, paddle, grasp.
4. Many use indirect sentences in telling the character's speech, for example: telling that, expressing, according to, saying that, telling.
5. Many use verbs that express something that is in the character's mind (mental verbs), such as: expecting, yearning, feeling, considering, wanting.
6. Using a lot of dialogue or direct conversation between characters.
7. Using adjectives or descriptive language to describe a character, place, or atmosphere.

Steps to Compose Historical Story Text

According to Kosasih (2017), here are some steps to compose or write historical texts:

1. Define a theme. What history will be used as the background and main support for the historical narrative text?
2. Make a historical framework in advance, and it can be arranged in a way: a) chronologically, b) cause and effect, c) actions of characters, d) sequence of places, e) series of events.
3. Search literature, historical sources, books, and other relevant media to gather historical facts.
4. Develop it into a historical text first if needed, then pour the history into the desired historical story according to the imagination.
5. Look again at the text of the historical story that is compiled, be it structure, content or linguistic rules.

Example of Historical Story Text

Examples of historical narrative texts and their structures in various types and themes of writing can be seen in the articles below:

Read also: Example of Historical Story Text and its Structure (Various Themes)