Introduction to Literary Narrative
...tance. For example, many first-hand accounts of the the Civil War were written by men who actually fought in it, but few eyewitnesses have been able to capture battlefield realities like Stephen Crane, who was born after the war was over. Most fictional narrative seeks to share experience and call us to participate in that experience rather than attempting to duplicate external reality. Narrative functions not so much to describe, but to call forth a response from its readers. Basic Elements of Narrative The basic elements of narrative are (a) setting, (b) characters, and (c) plot, and while these are important considerations in reading a story, they are not an end in themselves or the point of the story. Rather, they are vehicles which establish and amplify the meaning to be understood in the story. Setting The setting of a narrative might be described as its context, and often involves physical, temporal, and cultural dimensions A. Setting 1. Physical Setting Specific places, objects, or activities 2. Temporal Setting Political, national, and world events 3. Cultural Setting Customs, social values, belief systems, worldview, and attitudes Setting must also be considered as it relates to characters and plot. The setting often not only contributes to the stress the characters are experiencing, but it may also become symbolic of the message the author hopes to convey. For example, the New Testament contains a familiar story where setting contributes to the meaning. And on that day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." And leaving the multitude, they took Him along with them, just as He was, in the boat; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. And He Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to hem, "Why are you so timid? How is that you have no faith?" And they became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (Mark 4:35-41) Here the setting not only creates recognizable human experience (extreme stress), but becomes a symbol or metaphor of the personal storms we have all experienced. Close reading of narrative should include careful consideration of the setting in which the characters are framed. Characters The characters in a narrative often represent us as participa...