In written and spoken communication, there are four main rhetorical modes: description, exposition, argumentation, and narrative. These modes refer to the different approaches used to present a subject, each with its specific purpose and conventions.
A narrative is a story, real or imagined, told by a narrator directly to the reader. It can be conveyed through spoken or written form and aims to organize events, characters, places, and times into a cohesive structure through themes, concepts, and plot. Narratives are found in various art forms like literature, video games, songs, and more.
Tip: Oral storytelling, the oldest way of sharing narratives, creates a sense of intimacy and connection within communities as people share personal stories with each other.
Narratives can range from simple jokes to complex, multi-volume accounts of history or fiction. For example, consider this joke:
A doctor says to his patient, "I have bad news and worse news."
"What's the bad news?" the patient asks.
The doctor sighs and says, "You only have 24 hours to live."
"That's terrible! How could the news get any worse?" the patient replies.
The doctor responds, "I've been trying to contact you since yesterday."
In literature, narratives can also be found in works such as Samuel Richardson's "Clarissa," Marcel Proust's "In Search of Lost Time," and Wu Cheng'en's "Journey to the West."
If a narrative consists of both real and imagined events (the story) and their arrangement (the plot), then narratology is the study of the literary elements that make up a narrative. This analysis typically focuses on three main components: time, characterization, and focalization (the formal term for "point of view").
Take, for example, Hilary Mantel's novel "Wolf Hall," which begins with Thomas Cromwell, a historical figure, as the fictional narrator who recounts events in sixteenth-century England. The novel starts with the following lines:
"So now get up."
Felled, dazed, silent, he has fallen; knocked full length on the cobbles of the yard. His head turns sideways; his eyes are turned towards the gate, as if someone might arrive to help him out. One blow, properly placed, could kill him now.
Narratives rely on a narrator to convey the story to an implied reader, and the amount of information shared can greatly impact the analysis of the narrative.
Authors often use specific narrative techniques, such as cliffhangers, flashbacks, narrative hooks, and allegories, to enhance the storytelling in their works. Other elements, such as setting, themes, and genre, also play a crucial role in shaping the narrative.
The structure of a narrative is an essential part of the narrative discourse, as studied by Michel Foucault. This discourse focuses on the language choices and structure used to present a meaningful account of a narrative.
Narratives are present in both non-fiction and fiction works, serving different purposes and styles. Let's explore each of these genres further.
Non-fiction is factual or informative writing, but even in this genre, storytelling devices are used to engage the reader. Narrative non-fiction, for example, presents a factual account in the form of a story. This genre includes memoirs, travelogues, biographies, and true-story documentaries.
Think about your history textbook, for instance. While textbooks typically present historical events in a chronological sequence of facts, historians often tell a story when explaining a historical event, providing a deeper understanding of the "how" and "why" behind the events. This debate has been ongoing since the 1960s, with one side arguing that history itself is a narrative. Hayden White, a famous critic of this idea, argued in his book "Metahistory" that narratives are crucial for understanding historical events.
Narratives are all around us, from simple jokes to complex literary works. They provide a framework for understanding the world and add depth to our appreciation of literature. By examining the components and techniques behind narratives, we can gain a better understanding of their role in our lives.
History is more than just a series of events or facts; it follows a narrative pattern that can be analyzed through various narratological and archetypal theories.
Historical narratives include both non-narrative sentences, such as business documents and legal papers, and narrative sentences. These narratives take various forms, from spoken word to written accounts, and refer to events that are separated by time.
Narratives are composed of narrative sentences that can be reinterpreted in light of future events. They serve as a tool for explaining the past and providing insight into our world.
Advertisements also use narratives to convey a central message. By telling a story, they employ persuasive methods and a clear beginning-middle-end structure to captivate consumers. For example, popular stores like John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, and Sainsbury's release Christmas ads every year that promote messages of kindness and generosity.
Fictional narratives, whether in verse or prose, revolve around invented characters and events. These stories often explore social interactions and are told from a specific point of view. They typically follow a sequence of events leading to a resolution, which reveals details about the characters and their development.
Prose offers several primary narrative forms, such as the novel, novella, and short story. Examples of notable novels include Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" and Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations," while works like Henry James' "The Aspern Papers" and Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" are famous novellas. Short stories, like George Saunders' "Tenth of December" and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's "The Thing Around Your Neck," are considered too brief to be published as standalone works.
Literary theorists have categorized narratives into various forms, taking into account length and genre. Some examples of these categories include Quest Narratives, Myths, and Historical Fiction. Additionally, narratives can also be conveyed through verse, such as narrative poetry like ballads, epics, and verse romances.
Narratology is the study of narratives, encompassing all forms and genres. Narratologists argue that narratives follow a systematic and formal construction, adhering to specific rules and genres. Unlike stories, which are more fluid, narratives have a structured design and give order to a sequence of events, creating a meaningful plot.
There are different types of narrative structures, each with unique characteristics and devices. Linear narratives, which present historical events in chronological order, are the most common form. Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre," for instance, follows the protagonist's life in a chronological manner. Non-linear narratives, on the other hand, may involve a fragmented or out-of-order sequence of events, such as in Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" and Michael Ondaatje's "The English Patient." Interactive narratives, like Charlie Brooker's "Black Mirror: Bandersnatch" and the Dragon Age video game franchise, allow the audience to make choices that affect the plot. A frame narrative, like Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and Danny Boyle's film "Slumdog Millionaire," involves a story within a story.
As evidenced by these various examples, narratives can take on many forms, using diverse structures, characteristics, and devices to engage readers and bring stories to life. This highlights the complexity and versatility of narratives, making them an intriguing subject of study.
When it comes to stories, the narrative is a crucial aspect in understanding both real and imaginary events and their impact on the reader.
A narrative is a story composed of real or imagined events that are arranged in a logical order to create a coherent structure.
Narratives can come in many forms, from traditional short stories and novels to unique mediums like biographies, memoirs, travelogues, plays, and even non-fiction books on history or sculptures.
Unlike a simple story, a narrative is a more organized and structured form of storytelling, which follows a series of events arranged in a chronological and meaningful plot.
Narrative sentences are an essential part of any form of storytelling, be it in literature or everyday conversations. These sentences typically recount past events in the past tense, highlighting at least two time periods, with a focus on the earlier one for a cohesive and engaging narrative.
