RECOUNT
TEXT
BY ANGINETTE NADINE / X IPS 1 / 1
RECOUNT TEXT
Recount text is a text that telling the reader about
one story, action or activity. Or a text which retells
events or experiences that happened in the past.
KINDS OF RECOUNT TEXT
• Personal recount: These usually retell an event that
the writer was personally involved in.
• Factual recount: Recording an incident eg. a science
experiment, police report, and biography
• Imaginative recount: Writing an imaginary role and
giving details of events, eg. A day in the life of a pirate
BIOGRAPHICAL RECOUNT TEXT
Biographical text belongs to recount genre. It
aims at retelling the event of famous person's life
or to list and describe past experience by
retelling events in the orders which they
happened (chronological order).
SOCIAL FUNCTION
The function of writing biographies is
to provide details regarding the life of
a person in an entertaining but
informative manner.
EXAMPLE
Raden Adjeng Kartini Women's Rights Activist, Journalist
[ORIENTATION]
Raden Adjeng Kartini is a Javanese noblewoman who became one of the pioneer in the area of women's rights
for native Indonesians.
[EVENTS]
Raden Adjeng Kartini was born in a noble family on April 21st, 1879, in the village of Mayong, Java, Indonesia.
Kartini's mother, Ngasirah, was the daughter of a religious scholar. Her father, Sosroningrat, was a Javanese
aristocrat working for the Dutch colonial government. This condition afforded Kartini the opportunity to go to a
Dutch school, at the age of 6. The school opened her eyes to the Western ideals. During this time, Kartini also
took sewing lessons from another regent's wife, Mrs. Marie Ovink-Soer. Ovink- Soer imparted her feminist
views to Kartini, and was therefore instrumental in planting the seed for Kartini's later activism.
When Kartini reached adolescence, Javanese tradition dictated that she left her Dutch school for the sheltered
existence deemed appropriate to a young female noble. Struggling to adapt to isolation, Kartini then wrote
letters to Ovink-Soer and her Dutch schoolmates, protesting the gender inequality of Javanese traditions, such
as forced marriages at a young age, which denied women the freedom to pursue their education.
EXAMPLE
Ironically, in her eagerness to escape her isolation, Kartini was quick to accept a marriage
proposal arranged by her father. On November 8th, 1903, she wed the regent of Rembang,
Raden Adipati Joyodiningrat. Joyodiningrat was 26 years older than Kartini, and already
had three wives and 12 children. Kartini had recenctly been offered a scholarship to study
abroad, and the marriage dashed her hopes of accepting it. In Javanese tradition, the age
of 24 was too old to expect to marry well for women.
With the intention to spreading her feminist message, with her new husband's approval,
Kartini soon set about planning to start her own school for Javanese girls. With the help
from the Dutch government, in 1903 she opened the first Indonesian primary school for
native girls that did not segregate the students based on their social status.
[REORIENTATION]
On September 17th, 1904, at the age of 25, Kartini died in the regency of Rembang, Java,
due to complications during giving birth to her first child. Seven years after her death, one
of her correspondents, Jacques H. Abendanon, published a collection of Kartini's letters,
titled "From Darkness to Light: Thoughts About and on Behalf of the Javanese People”. In
Indonesia, Kartini Day is still celebrated annually on Kartini's birthday.
GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. Orientation (1st paragraph)
It gives the reader the background information as two why this person is
noteworthy and should have a biography written about them.
Example from the text : “Raden Adjeng Kartini is a Javanese noblewoman who became one of the pioneer in the area of
women's rights for native Indonesians.” This sentence tells us that Kartini is notewhorty and should have a biography written
about her because she is one of the pioneer in the area of women's rights for native Indonesians
2. Events (2nd -5th paragraphs)
It presents a series of events, usually told in chronological order.
These paragraphs tells us the series of events in Kartini’s life, from the day she
were born, her attendance to dutch school, how did she get her feminist view,
her isolation, her arranged marriage, and until the day she build a primary
school for Javanese girls.
3. Re-orientation (6th paragraph)
A personal comment about the event or what happened in the end.
Example from the text : “On September 17th, 1904, at the age of 25, Kartini died in the regency of
Rembang, Java, due to complications during giving birth to her first child.” This sentence tells us about
what happened at the end of Kartini’s life.
LANGUAGE FEATURES
1. Using specific names of the people involved in the biography.
Example from the text : Raden Adjeng Kartini / Kartini
2. Using chronological connection; then, before, first, etc.
Example from the text : Kartini then wrote letters to Ovink-Soer and her Dutch schoolmates
3. Using linking verb; was, were, saw, heard, etc.
Example from the text : Raden Adjeng Kartini was born in a noble family on April 21st,
1879, in the village of Mayong, Java, Indonesia.
4. Using action verb; look, go, change, etc.
Example from the text : Ironically, in her eagerness to escape her isolation
5. Using past tense.
Example from the text : During this time, Kartini also took sewing lessons from another
regent's wife, Mrs. Marie Ovink-Soer
THANK
YOU!
