Examples are often used in narrative writing to tell a story or make a point. Examples can be stories, movies, something read or information told to you. Examples not only move the story forward but aid in proving a point. If your example was "goats are friendly," then you could go on and write a story about the time you fed the goats at the zoo.
Dialogue helps narrative writing come to life and adds texture and dimension. It can also signal important events or emphasize a point. For example, "When we got to the clearing, the man shouted, 'Stop or I'll shoot.'" Not only does dialogue like this get the reader's attention, it also signals an important event.
Action is necessary in narrative writing for moving the plot along. It can add an exciting break to monotonous descriptive narratives. It can also show chronological order or speed up or slow down the pace of the story or essay. Action can also reveal the character's personality. For example, "He hesitated, weighing his options, his movements slow and catlike." This small passage reveals that the character is probably careful and cautious.
Descriptions provide important breaks in narratives, which allow the reader to smell, taste, touch and hear what is going on around them. Descriptions allow the reader to experience what is happening and sets the tone of the story. An example of a description that sets the tone would be, "It was a quiet town with dusted windows and peeling paint, cracked roads and dry wells."