Framing Device

Definition

A framing device is a narrative technique used to set the stage for a story, providing a context or structure that guides the reader's understanding of the main narrative. It often involves a secondary story or scene that surrounds the primary tale, helping to shape its themes and messages, and establishing a connection between the reader and the text.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Framing devices can take many forms, such as prologues, epilogues, letters, or even a character's narration that sets up the primary story.
2. They help to create a sense of distance or perspective between the narrator and the main story, allowing for deeper thematic exploration.
3. Framing devices are often used in sacred texts to establish authority or authenticity by grounding the narrative in specific historical or cultural contexts.
4. By employing a framing device, authors can manipulate the reader's expectations and interpretations of the main story, guiding them toward specific insights.
5. Classic examples of framing devices can be found in works like 'The Canterbury Tales' and 'The Arabian Nights,' where multiple stories are interconnected through a central narrative structure.

Review Questions

• How does a framing device enhance the reader's understanding of the main narrative?
  • A framing device enhances the reader's understanding by providing context and structure that clarifies themes and messages within the main narrative. It acts as a lens through which readers can interpret the events and characters more deeply. By situating the primary tale within a secondary story or context, it allows readers to draw connections between different layers of meaning and develop a richer understanding of the text.
• In what ways do sacred texts utilize framing devices to convey religious messages or authority?
  • Sacred texts often use framing devices to establish their authority and authenticity by placing narratives within specific historical or cultural contexts. For example, a prologue may set up divine inspiration or an epilogue might clarify moral lessons. This method not only legitimizes the stories but also connects them to broader religious teachings, helping readers grasp the intended messages while highlighting their significance in faith traditions.
• Evaluate how framing devices can change a reader's interpretation of key themes in both sacred texts and literary works.
  • Framing devices can significantly alter a reader's interpretation by influencing how themes are perceived. For instance, when a story is introduced through a specific character's perspective, it can bias the audience towards certain values or morals reflected in that viewpoint. In sacred texts, this can emphasize divine guidance or human fallibility in ways that might otherwise be overlooked. By shaping context and expectations, framing devices invite deeper analytical readings and foster nuanced discussions about morality, spirituality, and human experience.

Related terms

Metanarrative: A narrative that provides a commentary on the nature of storytelling itself, often reflecting on the structure or process of narrative creation.

Narrative Arc: The chronological construction of plot in a story, encompassing the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Intertextuality: The relationship between texts and how they reference or influence each other, enriching the meaning of a given narrative.