realism in narrative

Realism in Narrative 1RUNNING HEAD: REALISM IN NARRATIVE

Realism In Narrative

A Short Look into Realism Relating to and Present in Narrative

Richard Key

March 27, 2009

University of Advancing Technology

Composition 2

Realism in Narrative2

Abstract

Realism in narrative is not a new idea, and the concept is used to create the best of what we call

the classics. But it is important to keep in mind that the parts of a story, from the characters down

to the theme, are all key elements in maintaining realism and keeping the suspension of disbelief

in tack. I propose that research spanning classic novels, television, and movies alike will

undoubtedly show that such literary elements function as tools to help create a believable world,

and allow the reader to suspend their disbelief. Experts in the fields of writing, science, and even

history are also required to show such proof. It can also be shown that realism is present even in

the most fantastic of places; Examining a mythical creature, such as the dragon, can provide a

basis of proof showing such a claim. Research into the realm of how dragon myths and legends

are created are required to provide this proof, provided by experts on that subject matter.


We live in reality. It’s dull, boring, and most of the time as unassuming as breathing, a task we

undertake 1000s of times a day without realizing it. But with the help of a books, television, or

even movies we can be taken away to a different world; a world of kings, knights, magic, and

majestic creatures that fill our minds with endless adventures. All of these worlds and adventures

were created to be fictional, yet at least a small touch of our reality is sewn between their seams.

By analyzing mythical creatures, we can provide evidence that even the most fantastic of

objects have some base in reality. Stories themselves are created with reality in concert. Literary

elements such as plot, character development, and even genre are essential to maintaining this

realism. Using examples from popular stories, we can prove that such literary components help

to maintain a suspension of disbelief, and in effect aid believability.

By definition, fantasy itself is an imagined idea, something that has no basis in reality

(Merriam-Webster, 2009).Opposing the definition, however, is the fact that every story has some

base in the world and concept we call reality. This base in reality, no matter how obscure, is an

essential for the suspension of disbelief. A term coined by Samual Coleridge, the “willing

suspension of disbelief” was first used in relation to poetry. Today it is a contract with the

audience. This contract allows the audience to believe the unbelievable, to suspend reality, and

expect something more fantastic (Davis, 2005). Allowing the audience to suspend their disbelief

is critical for a story, yet the willing suspension of disbelief requires the audience relate to the

story in some way. This relation could be with the emotions of the characters, with the story’s

theme, or even merely having creatures with a humanoid form.

. The dragon has appeared in every culture and civilization in the past 5000 years, and

“has been identified with all of the gods and all of the demons of every religion” (Smith, 2007).

Even separated by 1000s of miles and years, the dragon still makes its way into the heart of all


the people of the world. This makes the dragons and incredibly useful creature to analyze in

relation to how realism is present in the most universally fantastic of places.

Dragons, across all its incarnations, keep a remarkably similar set of features. It’s usually

reptilian in form, has deathly sharp teeth, some protruding horns, scaly long neck and tale, and

most often possesses deadly breath (The Quest for Dragons, 2007). Yet most of these features

can be taken from common animals and landscapes of the region in which a particular dragon is

based. As far back as China’s Han Dynasty, philosophers describe the dragon as a compilation of

animal parts: “his horns resemble those of a stag, his head that of a camel, his eyes those of a

demon, his neck that of a snake, his belly that of a clam, his scales those of a carp, his claws

those of an eagle, his soles those of a tiger, his ears those of a cow” (Wang Fu, Han Dynasty,

China). The description clearly shows that the only way to comprehend a fantastic element is by

grounding it to aspects in reality.

Today, some scientists believe that tales of dragons and ancient creatures can be

attributed to the uncovering of ancient fossils. When the concepts such as being a million years

old or having been extinct is not in your mind, discovering such fossils can be overwhelming.

Seeing large skulls with sharp teeth, matching no know animal; one can only fear such power

and imagine something that fits the bones found (The Quest for Dragons, 2007). Such imagined

creatures stir up our greatest fears, and typically that is the object of such cretures, fear.

Emotion is a powerful factor in narrative, and is on of the key elements to making such

stories seem more real (Davis, 2005). In the case of dragons, fear drives most of the legends

surronding them. Everything from fear of fire, to fear of governmental collapse is present in

dragon legends. They breath fire, kidnap princesses, and horde valuable treasure for no logical

reason, all traits of what could be considered evil (The Quest for Dragons, 2007). The bible


actaully is quoted several times as satan being in the formed of a dragon: “And he laid hold on

the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years”

(Revelations 20:2, King James Version). This clearly supports the concept of fear driving the

creation and upkeep of such creatures.

Being created out of fear and misunderstanding, the dragon can be considered a

mysterious yet powerful creature. A creature whose parts are compared with the fiercest of

animals and attributes are supernatural in comparison. Comparisons that further plant this

mythical creature in reality. By using real animals to describe something fantastic, you are

applying a template which makes the element more realistic. Applying the “laws of nature”,

sometimes referred to as natural law, grounds in which this creature is based strengthens.

Nearly all dragons of old can fly, and of those that can take flight, most have wings in

which to do so. Flying animals in our natural world also possess wings, as well as anything that

requires lift. This fact of aviation is not lost in most of the various forms of dragons. In order to

take flight, dragons spread their majestic wings and take off. Such natural inclinations are

repeated in the dragon’s talons, sharp teeth, and scaly hide; all of which are available in the

natural world. When following the laws of nature, creatures and fantasy tie themselves to reality,

in turn becoming more believable.

Examining the dragon, there are many concepts which firmly plant this creature of fiction

in the real world. The line between fantasy and reality has been proven to be slightly more than

just pure fantasy. The facts are that dragons were created from human emotions and

misunderstandings (The Quest for Dragons, 2007), thus giving them a fantastic element.

However, through the same means of creation, they are planted in our reality. With the dragon’s

universal spread across cultures and time, they present the perfect example of realism in an


incredible fantastic element. They are amazingly fantastic, but can be proven to have a large base

in reality. Most of this realism comes from the dragon’s base in natural law.

Natural law encompasses a wide variety of structures. From emotions to physics, these

can all be considered in the realm of natural law (Fox, 1910), and any good narrative has at least

some of these aspects (Microsoft®, 2008). Roman jurists stated that natural law was the instinct

of man and lower animals (Fox, 1910). Such instincts are present in even the most common of

narratives to this day. We can examine the book The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien for an example.

On the surface, you have a world filled with imaginative characters, in a land of fictional

magic and wonder. You have all the elements of a classic fantasy novel: a dragon, goblins, and

even a powerful wizard. But, the laws of nature are clearly still present in this fantastic world.

Fire still burns, gravity still holds things to a central mass, and the whole range of human

emotions is present in all creatures. The mere fact that all the major races of the world are

humanoid has a lot to say about its basis in reality. Despite being a creation of imagination and

having more fantastic aspects than real ones, realistic natural laws are still present. (West, 2003).

Because of this low ratio of reality to fantasy, it can be deduced that The Hobbit has very

little realism. The story holds only the most basic rules of natural law, which are unbalanced with

the addition of so many unrealistic elements. Even having elements common to the genre, the

story is in a world separated from ours in geography, government, and physical possibility.

One of the biggest oppositions to realism in narratives, is the addition of magic (West,

2003). This force, defined as an opposition to natural forces through supernatural means

(Merriam-Webster, 2009), and is used most commonly to explain unrealistic and unnatural feats;

such as conjuring a fireball or levitating off the ground. Yet, as unnatural as these feats are, set in

a world of complete magical fantasy, they are common place. So common in fact, that the


suspension of disbelief is never harmed, and the audience thinks of these feats as no more out of

place that drinking coffee in the morning. This factor of common occurrence, however, is only

relevant across genres (Sullivan, 2001). Due to this connection, genre also has a small part to

play in realism lines. This factor does not directly relate to its realism, but it does play a role in

the overall believability of the narrative.

Genre, as it relates to stories, is best defined as a distinction among literary forms, usually

encompassing common elements, setting, and style (Microsoft® , 2008). By this definition,

genre holds an expectation to see such common components (Davis, 2005). This expectation

creates a pre-defined suspension of disbelief, a definition that allows common elements to be

overlooked or less fantastic. Such causalities of genre give it a unique quality to aid in the

realism of the story.

A good example of genre affecting realism is the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

These books follow Harry Potter throughout his magical adventures, and set up the reader for a

journey into a fantasy world. Even with such unbelievable happenings as games of quidditch,

invisible foes, or a magical duel or two, the reader’s suspension of disbelief never falters. The

audience never fails to believe in such wonders because they are expected. A magical adventure

such as Harry Potter is obligated by genre to create a world of magic and wonder for the

audience, where flying on a broom is no more uncommon than driving a car. In such a world, the

very unrealistic concept magic does not hinder its overall belief of the story.

While genre can create expectations and allow for outlandish claims in a narrative, this

fact does not make it in any way more realistic. But it does prevent these claims and events from

harming the overall suspension of disbelief (Sullivan, 2001). This affects the realism line of such

narratives by giving immunity for common elements across its genre, such as using magic or


living with aliens. Revisiting the Harry Potter example, we would not say that the realism line

associated with the story is more fantastic simply because of the presence of magic. But, magic

does not make the story more real either, thus the realism is overall unaffected.

For another example of common genre elements, let’s take the infamous series Star Trek

created by Gene Roddenberry. This science fiction series is a collection of common sci-fi

elements: Aliens, space travel, and even instantaneous transport. All of these are so common that

they are expected out of such a genre, and therefore do not affect the realism or suspension of

disbelief. However, Star Trek has completely fictional aspects, such as the dilithium crystals

used to power intergalactic ships. Such aspects are not common across the genre, and create a

slight tension in the suspension of disbelief. This tension can make things more unbelievable,

taking away from the overall realism.

Star trek has a great amount of fiction to it, some common to its science fiction genre,

and some not. What makes Star Trek more believable is its basis in science. The technology

seems to come to life in a barrage of techno-babble, which grounds itself in real terms. Concepts

such as warp drive, the holodeck, and tricorders are all being created today (Allen, 1998). Such

use of scientific theories and vocabulary grounds it more in reality, thus making it believable

even to a non-scientist. This technique of twisting scientific theory is used often in science

fiction, another common element to the genre.

Another great example of technology according to genre is the science fiction classic Star

Wars. You have all the elements expected in a sci-fi saga: robots, spaceships, laser guns, and

even crazy futuristic sports. While these are expected from the audience to be in line with genre,

there are some small connections to current technology. Especially in the field of robots, star

wars technology is coming to life with bots like Asimo, which can move just as well as the


famed C3PO. With things like human cloning around the corner, and better space travel, Star

Wars technology is quite believable (Hadhazy, 2008). This bases in known technology, even if

the technology is years from development, still makes the story more believable. Since this is

also a common element among the science fiction genre, the discrepancies against the theories

are overlooked and suspension of disbelieve is maintained.

Closely related, in concept, to genre is theme. Theme is defined by the writer’s idea and

underlying meaning of the story, and typically theme can be interpreted in many different ways.

Like genre, many different themes are repeated across different work. An example of a repeat

theme would be the finding of one’s self, as clearly evident in J. D. Salinger’s 1951 classic The

Catcher in the Rye (Microsoft®, 2008). This repatition naturally creates an expectation out of

particular themes, just like genres do.

Themes are common amung narratives, but different opinions offer different views on

what that theme is (Microsoft®, 2008). Despite variation, themes clearly has to realte to the

reader. A theme that is not regonizable to the reader can alienate them, blocking them from

relating to the story (Sullivan, 2001). The situations, settings, and conflicts of the story have to

be grounded in reality in order for the audience to grasp what the theme ultimately is. Poor

dipiction of any of these elements can seem too unrealistic, too alien to the reader, causing a

break in the suspension of disbelief.

Genre and theme can help provide the baseline of what kind of fantastic elements can be

used in a story, but characters are a vital part to the suspension of disbelief. A story with relatable

and dynamic characters is key for the audience to connect to plot. Without well built characters,

the reader has nothing to relate to, and the story becomes more unrealistic (Davis, 2005). Such


things as heritage, personality, and emotion are all keys to creating believable and dynamic

characters (Thompson, 2007).

Take Luke Skywalker from Star Wars for an exampe of character. Luke had strong

emotions towards his father, who was an evil general of the very empire he opposed. He did not

know he had a sister until the very last episode of the trilogy, and she was in love with Luke’s

best friend.This could essentially be any of us, with mixed feelings about our family, maybe best

friends dating our siblings; all of this is possible in our lives. Characters situations such as these,

in which they are possible in our own lives, create characters and plots that are relatable. The

more relatable they both are, the more believable they are (Sullivan, 2001).

Characters devoid of these elements seem unrealistic because they are, by definition,

unrealistic. Humans, as is our nature, possess emotions and personalities. A character without

either will not seem human at all, simply because they are not. For example, imagine a person

with no personality or emotion. This person would not love, hate, or even have a goal to follow

(Thompson, 2007). He would never happy, sad, or mad. It is impossible to thing what someone

without these qualities would be. A character such as this would be so unbelievable that the

suspension of disbelief would be lost (Davis, 2005).

Characters have to relate to the audience in order to create a realistic story, but the plot in

which the character are entangled can be just as important to realism. The plot encompasses

many different parts of the story; including the conflict, event timeline, and subject matter

(Microsoft®, 2008). Such important details are no doubt important, and the suspension of

disbelief relies heavily not only on these parts messing seamlessly, but also on them being

relatable to the audience (Davis, 2005). The audience has to understand what the plot is


accomplishing, and what path it is taking to get there. The events have to be understood, and the

conflict must relate to the reader.

Taking again The Hobbit in example, the plot follows famed Bilbo Baggins on his

journey through middle earth, one in which we all take at some point in life. This journey takes

through dangers never faced before, and Bilbo is transformed from a humble hobbit to a

courageous adventurer. While set in a place of fantasy, the plot of a journey through adversity

and personal revelation is something anyone can relate to (Raver, 2007). Such a relatable plot

creates something the audience feels that they have or will experience at some point, thus the

audience connects with the character within the plot. When plot and characters mesh, the

suspension of disbelief is heightened and readers become attached as if to family (Davis, 2005).

Various plots are also common to many different narratives (Microsoft®, 2008). Even

with variations across genre, theme, and setting, plots can stay the same. Just like other literary

elements, this creates expectations and familiarities that can aid in the suspension of disbelief. If

you provide a familiar plot, one seen before, the audience can better relate. Anything that the

audience is familiar with will allow a mechanism for easier suspension of disbelief (Davis,

2005).

Many different elements go into the creation of a story. Dynamic characters, a strong

plot, a good setting are all factors that play a key role in any narrative. These factors also play a

key role in creating a strong suspension of disbelief, which is needed to bring the audience into

the fantastic world of the narrative. It is akin to balancing on a tightrope; you must create a

unique experience, but also allow the audience to relate to the characters and story. The reader

must be able comprehend the narrative, and enjoy it at the same time.


I have proven that through literary elements, not only is there realism in the most

fantastic of creatures, but also that this realism relies on the key parts of a narrative. When

creating stories and narratives, these parts must reflect reality in order to provide a believable

experience. This experience is something that we crave. A familiar, yet fantastic, may actually be

a trip into our own consciousness. We may never know why exactly we need to be taken away to

other worlds, but it is clear that even the most fantastic of stories are more realistic than they

seem.


Works Cited

Allen, L. (1998, Nov 16). Star Trek tech: Science fact or fiction? Science World , pp. 18-20.

Davis, T. (2005, March). "Do You Believe in Fairies?": The Hiss of Dramatic License. Theatre

Journal , pp. 57-81.

Fox, J. (1910). Natural Law. Retrieved March 2009, from The Catholic Encyclopedia:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09076a.htm

Hadhazy, A. (2008, August). The Science of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Retrieved March 2009,

from Scientific America: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=science-of-star-wars-

clone-wars

Lucas, G. (Director). (1977-2008). Star Wars Saga [Motion Picture].

Merriam-Webster. (2009). fantasy. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from Merriam-Webster Online

Dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fantasy

Microsoft® . (2008). Literary Genre. Retrieved March 2009, from Microsoft® Encarta® Online

Encyclopedia:

http://uk.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_781533585/Genre_(literature).html

Microsoft®. (2008). Novel. Retrieved March 2009, from Microsoft® Encarta® Online

Encyclopedia: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560384_3/Novel.html#p57

Merriam-Webster. Magic. (2009). Retrieved March 2009, from Merriam-Webster Online

Dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magic

Raver, E. (2007, 24 January). An Analysis of JRR Tolkien and the Hobbit. Retrieved March 2009,

from Associated Content:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/125964/an_analysis_of_jrr_tolkien_and_the.ht

ml?cat=38

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/125964/an_analysis_of_jrr_tolkien_and_the.html?cat=38



Roddenberry, G. (Writer). (1966-2005). Star Trek [Motion Picture].

Rowling, J. K. (1997-2007). Harry Potter Series. New York City, New York: Scholastic

Publishing .

Smith, G. E. (2007). The Evolution of the Dragon. Charleston, SC: BiblioBazaar.

Sullivan, C. W. (2001). Folklore and Fantastic Literature. Western Folklore , pp. 276-296.

The Quest for Dragons (2007). [Motion Picture]. A&E Home Video.

Thompson, S. (2007). Ten Steps to Creating More Dynamic Characters. Retrieved March 2009,

from Associated Content, Inc..

Tolkien, J. (1999). The Hobbit. Mariner Books.

West, R. (2003). The Hobbit. Retrieved March, from Essay Depot:

http://www.essaydepot.com/essayme/2011/index.php


Annotated Bibliography

Allen, L. (1998, Nov 16). Star Trek tech: Science fact or fiction? Science World , pp. 18-20.

A short article appearing in Science World, this article presents a scientists take on what Star

Trek-like technologies are in development today. The article takes 5 technologies and presents

theories and modern strides to emulate the effect of the technology in question. This is extremely

useful when examine realism in the fantasy world of Star Trek, because it shows that the

outlandish technology is not so outlandish after all.

Davis, T. (2005, March). "Do You Believe in Fairies?": The Hiss of Dramatic License. Theatre

Journal , pp. 57-81.

Although the periodical is unknown to me, the article has proven to be one of the greatest

resources in my research. It is quite an extensive article that encompasses a lot of concepts

behind fantasy as it is applied to theatre. The application can be applied quite easily to narrative

however, and other researched has backed up most of what is presenet here. The article itself also

presents an extensive list of resources. I use this article to strengthen claims concerning the

suspension of disbelief and techniques used to fool the auidence in obsure ways.

Fox, J. (1910). Natural Law. Retrieved March 2009, from The Catholic Encyclopedia:


This entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia was the perfect addition to my research, mainly in

regards to proving my claims on what natural law is considered. I believe this encyclopedia is

used quite often, albeit mostly in terms of religious definitions, but the entry on natural law

proved historical facts that I found incredibly useful.



Hadhazy, A. (2008, August). The Science of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Retrieved March 2009,

from Scientific America: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=science-of-star-wars-

clone-wars

More of an interview than a strait forward article, this Scientific America article provides

conversation with a scientist over the technology used in star wars. Items as mundane as blasters

to complex machines like robots are covered. I found that with the view of a scientist being

directly quoted, it was useful in proving that not all science in Star Wars is fiction.

Merriam-Webster. (2009). fantasy. Retrieved March 10, 2009, from Merriam-Webster Online

Dictionary: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fantasy

The raw definition of fantasy is something that is at the core of what my research is about. I

needed to let the reader know exactly what the technical view of the word meant. In order to do

this I trusted Merriam-Webster, mainly because they are trusted all over the world and are one of

the oldest dictionaries that I am aware of.

Microsoft® . (2008). Literary Genre. Retrieved March 2009, from Microsoft® Encarta® Online

Encyclopedia:


The Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia has proven to me to be an invaluable resource when

conducting research of any kind. The article contained within it are not only complete, but

usually includes examples. This entry concerning literary genre was quite useful in researching

what its definition is and its part is in defining literature.


http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fantasy

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=science-of-star-wars-clone-wars

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=science-of-star-wars-clone-wars


Microsoft®. (2008). Novel. Retrieved March 2009, from Microsoft® Encarta® Online

Encyclopedia: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560384_3/Novel.html#p57

Another entry from Encarta, except this entry is an extensive look at novels and their literary

parts. As I stated above, Encarta includes not only the information, but examples of concepts

presented. The entry covers everything from Characters and theme, to conflicts and settings. I

use this multiple places, and in different ways because it has great deal of information to offer

and is a widely trusted source.

Smith, G. E. (2007). The Evolution of the Dragon. Charleston, SC: BiblioBazaar.

The title of this book can be a little deceiving. While it is a history of dragons through the ages, a

lot of the research went into proving the connection between the gods of major cultures. Most of

the information concerning dragons was quite useful, but such information was presented in

spurts, in-between scientific rants on the disagreement with popular theories. I use this source

only in reference to a couple descriptions of dragons.

The Quest for Dragons (2007). [Motion Picture]. A&E Home Video.

This documentary focuses on dragons throughout history, more so that the book mentioned

above. Most of my research on dragons came from this source because the information was

presented in a strait forward manner and provided credible scientists to strengthen claims. Some

of the claims in this documentary are quite unique and with evidence clearly presented, it is a

great source for finding realistic qualities to dragons.

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560384_3/Novel.html#p57


Thompson, S. (2007). Ten Steps to Creating More Dynamic Characters. Retrieved March 2009,

from Associated Content, Inc.

Another short article, this Associated Content instructial gives you 10 questions to ask yourself

concerning characters in your narrative. There are no doubt entire books on creating believable

and dynamic characters, but this article shows that character need certain qualities to be relatable

and whole. I use this article one or twice to show that characters need these qualities to seem

more real.

West, R. (2003). The Hobbit. Retrieved March, from Essay Depot:


I found essay depot itself to be a good resource when collecting other various essays for

research. While most of the essays are from students or non-experts, the information in this essay

can be backed with other research I have conducted. This is really a short analysis of the book,

and only provides enough to support one of my claims in my paper. At best, this can be

considered some opinions that show my claims are not total fabrications.

Raver, E. (2007, 24 January). An Analysis of JRR Tolkien and the Hobbit. Retrieved March

2009, from Associated Content:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/125964/an_analysis_of_jrr_tolkien_and_the.ht

ml?cat=38

A step up from the essay above, this is an in-depth analysis of The Hobbit. This analysis is

performed by a professional writer and is more thorough. It provides a basis to what kind of

themes, plot devices, and characters are in the book, and is an excellent example of a grade A





literary analysis. I use this analysis to show the common themes and elements used in the story,

and to show the realistic elements behind them.

Sullivan, C. W. (2001). Folklore and Fantastic Literature. Western Folklore , pp. 276-296.

Similar in nature to “Do you Believe in Fairies?” this article examines fiction’s obvious

connections to folklore and popular culture. It also examines some of the elements that make

literature a little more relatable to the reader. This is useful in proving certain theories behind the

suspension of disbelief and what makes a story familiar to the audience. This article is a great

resource and a large amount of information in one place.

realism in narrative

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