FictionThe features of a narrative text

Performer - Culture & LiteratureMarina Spiazzi, Marina Tavella,

Margaret Layton © 2012

The features of a narrative text

The commonest form of fiction as a genre is the novel.

The novel • depicts imaginary events and characters. They are

representative of real life;• is written in prose, rather than verse;• is a narrative;• has characters, actions and a plot: it involves

people who act in a context ruled by chronology, cause-and-effect;

• involves an investigation of an issue of human significance whose complexity requires a certain length.

1. The novel

Performer- Culture&Literature

The features of a narrative text

The setting is the place and the time of the story.

• Place setting can be interior or exterior (D. Defoe, Robinson Crusoe) it deals with the description of the landscape, interiors and objects.

• Time setting usually refers to the time of the day, the season, the year; social historical factors are also important.

2. The setting

Performer- Culture&Literature

The features of a narrative text

A narrative text is made up of the story

The author can combine these events in different ways using flashbacks, anticipation of events or by omitting details of the story. This sequence of events is the plot.

3. The story / the plot

Performer- Culture&Literature

a sequence of events always presented in chronological order

The features of a narrative text

The author chooses the way to tell his story among

1. dialogue;

2. description;

3. narration.

These modes are usually interwoven.

The point of view is the angle/s from which the scene is described and the story told. It is influenced by the kind of narrator.

4. Narrative modes and the point of view

Performer- Culture&Literature

The features of a narrative text

Performer- Culture&Literature

The choice of this narrator can have the following functions:• to bring the reader close to the mind and feelings of the

narrator;• to convey an impression of reality;• to restrict the reader’s view.

5. The narrative techniques

The first-person narrator

• employs the I mode,• can coincide with the author or a character.

The features of a narrative text

Performer- Culture&Literature

obtrusive when he addresses the reader

directly making personal remarks or providing a comment on the society of the time, on some of

the characters of the story

unobtrusive when he is

detached and objective and does not interfere with

the story

5. The narrative techniques

The third-person narrator • knows everything about the actions and the characters’ thoughts and intentions;• is also called omniscient.

The features of a narrative text

Performer- Culture&Literature

The presentation of a character can be:

• direct, through the description which the writer makes of his/her personality and appearance;

• indirect, when the reader has to infer the features of the character from his/her actions, reactions and behaviour.

There can be major and minor characters depending on their role in the story.

6. The characters

The features of a narrative text

Performer- Culture&Literature

6. The characters

CHARACTERS can be CHARACTERS can be

round, when they change their personality as the

narration develops and can even influence the plot

flat, when they do not change throughout the story.

They are the so-called stereotypes

The features of a narrative text

Performer- Culture&Literature

7. The theme

The THEME The THEME

is the ideas the author tries to convey by means

of the story

contains the message whose interpretation leads to

an understanding of the meaning of the text