ENGLISH 1 Notes...

Elements of a Narrative

Characters - people in the story
Setting        - when and where the story happened or the emotional atmosphere of the story
Conflict       - the problem, struggle in the story
Theme        - generalization about life embedded in the story
Plot             -  the sequence of events in a story

Types of Narrative
Fable – a narrative intended to enforce a useful truth with animals as characters

Legend - a popular narrative about the origin of things, places, fictional character, etc.

Myth - a usually traditional narrative (presumably based on historical events) which serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon

Tale – a story about magical world, adventures, and characters born out of imagination

Anecdote - a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident

Short story - an invented prose narrative (shorter than a novel) which usually deals with a few characters, aims at unity of effect, and often concentrates on the creation of mood rather than plot (N.B. short in short story - having only one plot)

Narrative Devices - This term describes the tools of the story teller (also used in nonfiction), such as ordering events so that they build to a climactic moment or withholding information until a crucial or appropriate moment when revealing it creates a desired effect. On the essay exam this term may also apply to biographical and autobiographical writing.

Examples:




Foreshadowing, hinting at events to occur later.
In Romeo & Juliet the two main characters both state early on that they would rather die than not be together.

Personification -the use of comparative metaphors and similes to give human-like characteristics to non-human objects.


Plot twist is a change ("twist") in the direction or expected outcome of the plot of a film or novel.


Suspense or tension is the feeling of uncertainty and interest about the outcome of certain actions -- most often referring to an audience's perceptions in a dramatic work.


Dialogue is a conversation (which may be reciprocal) between two or more persons
"Alex," my mother asked, "what were your activities and pursuits at your middle school today?"
"I had a full day of activities, Mother. My teachers were stimulating, and my English class was especially delightful."


(Accessed from http://literaryterms.wikispaces.com/narrative+devices)