Fiction
The features of a narrative text
Performer - Culture & Literature
Marina Spiazzi, Marina Tavella,
Margaret Layton © 2012
The features of a narrative text
1. The novel
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.
Performer- Culture&Literature
The features of a narrative text
2. The setting
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.
Performer- Culture&Literature
The features of a narrative text
3. The story / the plot
A narrative text is made up of
the story
a sequence of events always
presented in chronological order
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.
Performer- Culture&Literature
The features of a narrative text
4. Narrative modes
and the point of view
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.
Performer- Culture&Literature
The features of a narrative text
5. The narrative techniques
The first-person narrator
• employs the I mode,
• can coincide with the author or a character.
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.
Performer- Culture&Literature
The features of a narrative text
5. The narrative techniques
The third-person narrator
• knows everything about the actions and the
characters’ thoughts and intentions;
• is also called omniscient.
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
Performer- Culture&Literature
unobtrusive
when he is
detached and
objective and does
not interfere with
the story
The features of a narrative text
6. The characters
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.
Performer- Culture&Literature
The features of a narrative text
6. The characters
CHARACTERS can be
round, when they change
their personality as the
narration develops and can
even influence the plot
Performer- Culture&Literature
flat, when they do not change
throughout the story.
They are the so-called
stereotypes
The features of a narrative text
7. The theme
The THEME
is the ideas the author tries
to convey by means
of the story
Performer- Culture&Literature
contains the message whose
interpretation leads to an
understanding of the meaning
of the text