Narrative

It is a story created in a constructive format that describes sequence of fictional or non-fictional events.

Purpose of Narrative the basic purpose of narrative is to entertain, to

gain and hold a readers interest. Narratives can also be written to teach or to inform, to change attitudes or social opinions.

Elements of Narrative
I PLOT - All fictional stories have a plot. Plot is the sequence of events that take
place in the story. There are five components to plot:

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed. b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax). c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not? d) Denouement (falling action) - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement). e) Conclusion This is the resolution of the conflict, or the solution to the problem.

CONFLICT The source of the tension or problem; the clash of people, forces and/or ideas which create the action of a story. This is the beginning of the rising action of the story. This action can take five basic forms (there are other variations): MAN V. MAN Protagonist (hero) v. Antagonist (villain). It is a conflict that pits one person against another. MAN V. HIMSELF Good v. evil, fear v. duty, training v. instinct, duty v. pride, etc. Internal conflict. Not all conflict involves other people. Sometimes people are their own worst enemies. An internal conflict is a good test of a characters values. The internal conflicts of a character and how they are resolved are good clues to the characters inner strength. MAN V. SOCIETY An individual vs a group. The values and customs by which everyone else lives are being challenged. The character may come to an untimely end as a result of his or her own convictions. The character may, on the other hand, bring others around to a sympathetic point of view, or it may be decided that society was right after all. Traditional elements of

society include government, religion, education, business, media, and family structure. MAN V. NATURE Man against the forces of nature. Nature as a character only speaks through its actions against the protagonist; therefore, you must interpret what Nature is saying through its actions. It tests the limits of a persons strength and will to live. MAN V. FATE Premised upon the belief that a persons destiny is established before birth, and there is little the protagonist can do but accept and face his fate. II CHARACTERS They are thepeopleorpersonalitiesinthestory. The characters are usually introduced early in the story. CHARACTER -- There are two meanings for the word character: 1) The person in a work of fiction. 2) The characteristics of a person. According to function: 1. Protagonist - The main character in the story 2. Antagonist - The character or force that opposes 3. Confidant is a character sympathetic to the protagonist, who is used to draw out the central character. 4. Foil - A character who provides a contrast to the protagonist that highlights certain qualities of that first character. According to development: 1. Round - many sided and complex personalities. They have good and bad qualities. Their goals, ambitions and values change. A round character changes as a result of what happens to him or her. A character who changes inside as a result of what happens to him is referred to in literature as a DYNAMIC character. A dynamic character grows or progresses to a higher level of understanding in the course of the story. 2. Flat - have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc. They have only one or two striking qualities. Their predominant quality is not balanced by an opposite quality. They are usually all good or all bad. Such characters can be interesting or amusing in their own right, but they lack depth. Flat characters are sometimes referred to as STATIC characters because they do not change in the course of the story.

3. Stock stereotyped figures in fiction occur so often that we recognize them immediately. 4. Caricature Characterization The process the author uses to present the character so that we can determine his physical appearance and personality. Characterization is made up of three elements: appearance, which is the way the character looks; personality, which is the way the character thinks or feels; and behavior, which is the way the character acts and reacts. In any type of story, it is important that readers are able to picture the characters. Character details can take many forms: physical features, clothing, possessions, hobbies, and communication. Paying attention to details can provide a lot of information about what a character is like. Two methods of describing characters:
Direct Method Method that the narrator uses to describe a character by directly showing the readers a characters traits. It is what the author/narrator tells us about the character: What the character looks like (physical description) What the character says What the character thinks How the character acts Indirect Method - Method that the narrator uses to describe a character by telling the readers a characters appearance, what the character does and says, and how other characters react to him/her. What we learn about a character for ourselves: What the character says about himself/herself and how he/she says it

How the character behaves in a revealing situation The characters response to his/her environment or circumstances (setting) The characters reactions to others What other characters think or say about him/her How other characters react to him/her Details of a characters appearance Details of the characters habitat (where he/she lives, works, plays) How the character acts

Point of view
It refers to theperspectivefromwhichthestoryistold. The most common points of view are First Person, Third Person Limited, and Third Person Omniscient.

The First Person Narrator is actually a character in the story and is personally affected by plot and setting. The narrator is a character in the story who can reveal only personal thoughts and feelings and what he or she sees and is told by other characters. He cant tell us thoughts of other characters. First person narrator uses such pronouns as I, We, My, Our, in the narrative. (Beware of the use of these words when used in dialogue, as this does not indicate narrators point of view). The Third Person Limited Narrator tells the story and knows everything about the protagonist or main character. The narrator is an outsider who sees into the mind of one of the characters. The Third Person Omniscient Narrator knows what all characters, protagonists and antagonists, think, feel, and do. The narrator is an allknowing outsider who can enter the minds of more than one of the characters.

III SETTING - The time period and place that the story takes place. This
usually includes geography and cultural, religious or political background that serves as a backdrop that supports the storys action. (For example, The Crucible by Arthur Miller takes place in a Puritan colony in Massachusetts in 1620 at the height of the witch trials. Dead Poets Society takes place in 1959 in New England in a private boys prep school). Neither story would have the same impact in a different setting. In some stories, the setting is a crucial element; in others, it is not at all important. Details that describe setting might include weather, time of day, location, landscape, and even furniture. All of these things can contribute to the understanding of a scene. There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story): a) place - geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place? b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc) c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc? d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)? e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

IV STYLE - The way in which an author writes.

FORESHADOWING An authors use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in the story. Not all foreshadowing is obvious. Frequently, future events are merely hinted at through dialogue, description, or the attitudes and reactions of the characters. Foreshadowing frequently serves two purposes. It builds suspense by raising questions that encourage the reader to go on and find out more about the event that is being foreshadowed. Foreshadowing is also a means of making a narrative more believable by partially preparing the reader for events which are to follow. SYMBOLISM A person, place or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well. Things, characters and actions can be symbols. Anything that suggests a meaning beyond the obvious. Some symbols are conventional, generally meaning the same thing to all readers.

For example: bright sunshine symbolizes goodness and water is a symbolic cleanser. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Any language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new effects or fresh insights into an idea or a subject. The most common figures of speech are simile, metaphor, and alliteration. Flashback: action that interrupts to show an event that happened at an earlier time which is necessary to better understanding. Foreshadowing: is the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in literature. Imagery - Language that appeals to the senses. Descriptions of people or objects stated in terms of our senses.

Visual: see Tactile: touch Gustatory: taste Auditory: hear Olfactory: smell

Irony: Irony is the contrast between what is expected or what appears to be and what actually is.

Verbal: The contrast between what is said and what is actually meant. One thing is said, but the opposite is meant (usually the narrator says one thing but means something else) ex. On a hot day your teacher says Chilly enough for you? Situational: This refers to a happening that is the opposite of what is expected or intended. The chasm between what we hope for or expect to happen and what actually happens (this has more to do with plot than with anything a character might say) ex. A man dressed in the costume of a jester ends up being murdered. Dramatic: This occurs when the audience or reader knows more than the characters know. When the reader sees a situation clearly but the character does not; instead he does/says things indicating his ignorance. Cosmic: When a protagonists expectations are unexpectedly destroyed by a bad fortune or uncaring gods.

V - TONE/MOOD
Tone - the attitude a writer takes towards a subject or character.

The authors attitude, stated or implied, toward a subject. Some possible attitudes are pessimism, optimism, earnestness, seriousness, bitterness, humorous, and joyful. An authors tone can be revealed through choice of words and details. Mood - the emotional attitude the author takes towards the subject. The climate of feeling in a literary work. The choice of setting, objects, details, images, and words all contribute towards creating a specific mood. For example, an author may create a mood of mystery around a character or setting but may treat that character or setting in an ironic, serious, or humorous tone

VI - Theme
Anobservationortruthaboutlifethattheauthorwantsthereaderto understand throughthestory.StartitoffwithSometimesinlife It general idea or insight about life that a writer wishes to express. is the

Theme is the main message in the story. It is closely related to main idea, but theme usually is more global in scope. Virtually all fiction, and some non-fiction, including novels, short stories, fables, drama, poems, speeches, and essays have themes. Theme contributes an expectation that the reader will learn from the trials and tribulations related through characterization, plot, setting, and point of view. The main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work. A theme may be stated or implied. Theme differs from the subject or topic of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the topic. Not every literary work has a theme. Themes may be major or minor. A major theme is an idea the author returns to time and again. It becomes one of the most important ideas in the story. Minor themes are ideas that may appear from time to time. It is important to recognize the difference between the theme of a literary work and the subject of a literary work. The subject is the topic on which an author has chosen to write. The theme, however, makes some statement about or expresses some opinion on that topic. For example, the subject of a story might be war while the theme might be the idea that war is useless. Four ways in which an author can express themes are as follows: 1. Themes are expressed and emphasized by the way the author makes us feel.. By sharing feelings of the main character you also share the ideas that go through his mind. 2. Themes are presented in thoughts and conversations. Authors put words in their characters mouths only for good reasons. One of these is to develop a storys themes. The things a person says are much on their mind. Look for thoughts that are repeated throughout the story. 3. Themes are suggested through the characters. The main character usually illustrates the most important theme of the story. A good way to get at this theme is to ask yourself the question, what does the main character learn in the course of the story? 4. The actions or events in the story are used to suggest theme. People naturally express ideas and feelings through their actions. One thing authors think about is what an action will "say". In other words, how will the action express an idea or theme?

Questions to ask yourself while reading a story: 1.Who are the characters? What are their dominant traits? Who tells the story? 2.What does the character want that he/she cannot have right now? Who prevents the character from getting what he/she wants? What is the basic type of conflict? How is the conflict resolved? 3.When does it take place? How much time elapses in the story? 4.Where does the story take place? What is the significance of the setting, if any? 5.Why did the author write the story? What is the theme or meaning of the story? 6.How did the writer craft the story? Does the author use symbolism? How? Of what significance is the title?