Fiction

Thefeaturesofanarrativetext

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 readers 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