Narratology examines the structures and techniques that shape storytelling. It explores how narratives are constructed, from basic plot elements to complex narrative devices, across various media and genres.
This field of study offers tools to analyze and understand the mechanics of storytelling. By breaking down narratives into their component parts, narratology reveals how stories work and why they affect us the way they do.
Origins of narratology
Narratology emerged as a distinct field of study in the 1960s and 1970s, drawing on earlier work in literary theory, structuralism, and semiotics
Influenced by the work of Russian formalists (Viktor Shklovsky, Vladimir Propp) and French structuralists (Claude Lévi-Strauss, Roland Barthes, Tzvetan Todorov)
Aims to identify the universal structures and patterns that underlie all narratives, regardless of their medium or cultural context
Key concepts in narratology
Story vs discourse
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Mood refers to the degree of directness and certainty with which narrative information is presented
Distance (speech representation, thoughts) and perspective (point of view, )
Voice refers to the act of narrating and the narrator's relationship to the story
Narrative level (extradiegetic, intradiegetic), person (hetero- or homodiegetic), and time of narration (ulterior, anterior, simultaneous, interpolated)
Focalization: zero, internal, external
Focalization describes the perspective through which the story is presented
Zero focalization: an omniscient narrator with unrestricted access to characters' thoughts and feelings
Internal focalization: the story is presented through the perspective of one or more characters
Fixed (single character), variable (multiple characters), or multiple (same event through different perspectives)
External focalization: the narrator describes only what is externally observable, without access to characters' inner thoughts
Reliable vs unreliable narrators
Reliable narrators provide an accurate and trustworthy account of the story world
Unreliable narrators provide a distorted, biased, or incomplete account due to limited knowledge, personal interests, or psychological instability
Can be used to create ambiguity, irony, or surprise in the narrative
Reliability is determined by the degree of congruence between the narrator's account and the implied author's norms and values
Extradiegetic level: the primary level of narration, outside the story world (frame narratives, omniscient narrators)
Intradiegetic level: the level of the main story, narrated by a character within the story world
Metadiegetic level: a story within a story, narrated by a character in the intradiegetic level
Can serve various functions (explanatory, thematic, distracting, obstructing)
Metalepsis and narrative boundaries
Metalepsis is a transgression of the boundaries between narrative levels
A narrator or character from one level interacts with elements from another level
Creates ontological instability and highlights the artificiality of the narrative
Examples: characters addressing the reader, authors entering the story world, or characters moving between embedded narratives
Narratology beyond literature
Narratology in film and media studies
Applies narratological concepts to the analysis of cinematic and other audio-visual narratives
Examines the specific techniques and constraints of visual storytelling (montage, mise-en-scène, sound)
Explores the relationship between narrative structure and medium-specific features
Transmedial narratology
Studies the way narratives are constructed and experienced across different media and platforms
Investigates the adaptation, translation, and remediation of narratives between media
Examines the role of media convergence and participatory culture in shaping narrative practices
Cognitive narratology
Integrates insights from cognitive science, psychology, and neuroscience into the study of narrative
Explores the mental processes involved in the production and reception of narratives
How readers construct mental models of story worlds, characters, and events
How narratives evoke emotions, engage attention, and shape memory and identity
Examines the universality and cultural specificity of narrative cognition
Postclassical narratologies
Feminist narratology
Examines the ways in which gender shapes the production, reception, and interpretation of narratives
Investigates the representation of female characters, the gendering of narrative voice and perspective, and the subversion of patriarchal narrative conventions
Explores the intersection of gender with other categories of identity (race, class, sexuality)
Postcolonial narratology
Studies the narrative strategies employed in postcolonial literature to resist and rewrite colonial discourse
Examines the hybridization and appropriation of Western narrative forms in postcolonial contexts
Investigates the representation of subaltern voices, the narration of trauma and memory, and the construction of national and cultural identities
Rhetorical narratology
Focuses on the persuasive and communicative dimensions of narratives
Examines the ways in which narratives are used to argue, persuade, and shape beliefs and attitudes
Explores the ethical and ideological implications of narrative rhetoric in various contexts (politics, advertising, journalism)
Unnatural narratology
Studies narratives that challenge or subvert the conventions of mimetic or realistic storytelling
Examines anti-mimetic techniques such as impossible storyworlds, non-human narrators, or metaleptic transgressions
Investigates the cognitive and interpretive challenges posed by unnatural narratives and their effects on readers
Critiques and limitations of narratology
Accusations of formalism and ahistoricism in classical narratology
Neglect of the social, historical, and ideological contexts of narrative production and reception
Challenges to the universality and applicability of narratological categories across cultures and media
Debates about the compatibility of narratology with other approaches (hermeneutics, reader-response theory, cultural studies)
Limitations in accounting for emergent and experimental forms of narrative in digital and interactive media
Key Terms to Review (14)
Analepsis: Analepsis is a narrative technique that involves a flashback or a return to an earlier point in the story, providing background information or context to the current events. This device is often used to enhance the understanding of character motivations and plot developments by revealing crucial past events that have shaped the narrative's present.
Chronotope: Chronotope is a concept that refers to the interconnectedness of time and space in literature, highlighting how narrative settings and temporal elements shape the characters' experiences and the story's meaning. It emphasizes that every narrative unfolds within a specific temporal and spatial context, influencing how events are perceived and understood by readers.
Diegesis: Diegesis refers to the narrative or story world created by a text, encompassing everything that exists within that universe, including characters, events, and settings. It is distinct from mimesis, which involves the representation of reality through direct imitation. In literature and film, understanding diegesis helps to distinguish between what is part of the story and what is external commentary or viewer experience.
Fabula: Fabula refers to the raw material of a story, including the chronological sequence of events and the basic plot structure. It's the underlying narrative that exists independent of how it is presented in a specific text. Understanding fabula helps to distinguish between the order of events as they occur in the story and how they are arranged or narrated by the author.
First-person narration: First-person narration is a storytelling technique where the narrator is a character within the story, using first-person pronouns like 'I' or 'we' to convey their personal experiences and thoughts. This narrative style allows readers to connect closely with the narrator's perspective, providing insight into their emotions and motivations, and often creates a sense of immediacy and intimacy in the storytelling.
Focalization: Focalization refers to the perspective through which a narrative is presented, indicating who perceives and conveys the events and experiences within a story. It connects closely to the concepts of narration and point of view, highlighting how different characters can influence the reader's understanding by shaping what information is revealed or withheld. This term is crucial for analyzing how a narrative structure affects character development and thematic elements in storytelling.
Gerard Genette: Gerard Genette was a French literary theorist best known for his contributions to narratology, particularly through his analysis of narrative structure and the relationship between time and narrative. His work helped to establish a systematic framework for understanding how narratives are constructed, emphasizing elements such as focalization, narrative voice, and the ordering of events within a story. Genette's theories continue to influence contemporary literary criticism and narratological studies.
Narrative empathy: Narrative empathy is the emotional response that readers or viewers experience when they engage with a story, allowing them to understand and share the feelings of characters. This concept is crucial in shaping how audiences connect with narratives, fostering a sense of compassion and understanding for different perspectives through the immersive experience of storytelling.
Narrative structure: Narrative structure refers to the organized framework that dictates how a story unfolds, including the arrangement of events, the sequence of scenes, and the overall flow of the narrative. This concept encompasses various elements such as characters, settings, and plot points, which are all interrelated in creating a cohesive storytelling experience. Understanding narrative structure allows for the analysis of how different components interact and contribute to the meaning of the story, making connections with syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, narratology, and key theories in literary criticism.
Prolepsis: Prolepsis is a narrative technique that involves the anticipation of future events or a flashforward within a story, allowing the narrator to present events that will occur later in the timeline. This technique can create suspense and deepen the reader's understanding of character motivations and themes by revealing outcomes or significant moments before they unfold in the narrative sequence.
Sjuzhet: Sjuzhet refers to the way a narrative is structured and presented, often distinct from the chronological order of events known as fabula. It encompasses the techniques and devices used by a storyteller to convey the story, such as flashbacks, foreshadowing, and changes in perspective. Understanding sjuzhet helps in analyzing how narratives manipulate time and space to create meaning and engage readers.
Temporal Structure: Temporal structure refers to the arrangement of time within a narrative, including how events are ordered and the relationship between different timeframes. This concept is crucial in understanding how a story unfolds, influencing pacing, suspense, and reader engagement. By manipulating temporal elements, authors can create complex narratives that play with the perception of time, enhancing the storytelling experience.
Third-person omniscient: Third-person omniscient is a narrative perspective where the narrator knows everything about the characters and events in the story. This point of view allows the narrator to access the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of all characters, providing a comprehensive understanding of the plot and themes. It offers readers a broader perspective than limited third-person viewpoints, enriching the narrative experience with multiple insights into the story's dynamics.
Unreliable narrator: An unreliable narrator is a storyteller whose credibility is compromised, making their version of events questionable. This narrative technique invites readers to critically engage with the text, often leading to multiple interpretations and highlighting the subjective nature of truth. The use of an unreliable narrator can deepen themes like identity, perspective, and societal norms, encouraging readers to consider who controls the narrative and what truths may be hidden.