Comparing Narratives: Similarities And Differences

Narratives are an essential part of human communication, appearing in various forms, from literature and theatre to political speeches and social essays. The structure of a narrative, as outlined by Todorov's model, typically involves three parts: the establishment of equilibrium, a disruption, and a return to equilibrium. This structure allows the audience to experience suspense and emotional stakes. The characters in a narrative are crucial, as their choices and behaviours drive the plot forward, and the audience's perception of them influences their engagement with the story. Scholars have proposed different theories to understand narratives better, such as the Bayesian narrative theory, which views narratives as causal links between events. The effectiveness of a narrative is often evaluated through criteria such as believability and interpretive validity. Narratives play a vital role in historical reconstruction, psychological well-being, and providing context and understanding to abstract ideas.

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The role of literary theory

Literary theory plays a crucial role in understanding and evaluating narratives by providing a framework for analysis and interpretation. It offers a set of critical tools and methodologies that allow us to delve deeper into the meaning and significance of a text. Through the lens of literary theory, we can uncover the underlying themes, motifs, and structures that shape a narrative and influence its impact on readers.

One of the key roles of literary theory is to help us identify and understand the various elements that comprise a narrative. This includes not only the plot and character development but also the use of language, symbolism, and other literary devices. By applying theoretical frameworks, we can analyze how these elements interact and contribute to the overall effect of the narrative. For example, a theoretical approach such as structuralism helps us break down the narrative into its basic structural units, revealing the underlying patterns and relationships that give the text its coherence and meaning.

Literary theory also enables us to situate a narrative within its broader cultural and historical context. Different theoretical perspectives, such as feminist theory, postcolonial theory, or psychoanalytic theory, offer insights into the social, political, and ideological dimensions of a text. By considering the larger framework in which a narrative was produced and received, we can better understand its themes, concerns, and potential impact on its audience. For instance, a feminist reading of a narrative might focus on the representation of female characters and the underlying gender dynamics, shedding light on the text's engagement with contemporary social issues.

Moreover, literary theory provides a means to compare and contrast narratives across different contexts. Theoretical frameworks offer a set of criteria and concepts that allow for the identification of similarities and differences between texts. By applying theories such as genre theory or narrative archetypes, we can categorize and analyze narratives based on their structural and thematic characteristics. This comparative approach enriches our understanding of individual narratives and helps us trace the development and transformation of literary traditions over time.

Lastly, literary theory contributes to our understanding of the aesthetic and stylistic aspects of narratives. Theories such as formalism emphasize the study of literary form and the unique qualities of language in a text. By focusing on elements such as rhythm, meter, imagery, and figurative language, we can appreciate the artistic craftsmanship and the stylistic choices that shape the reading experience. Literary theory, therefore, enhances our appreciation of the beauty and complexity of narratives, enriching our engagement with literature.

Character development

One approach to character development is through direct characterization, where the narrator explicitly describes a character's traits and personality. For example, in Saki's "The Open Window," the narrator describes Vera as "a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen," leaving little room for interpretation by the audience. This direct approach efficiently establishes the character's nature, providing a clear understanding of their characteristics.

On the other hand, indirect characterization invites readers to draw their own conclusions about a character based on their behaviour, interactions, dialogue, and the treatment they receive from others. This technique encourages readers to actively engage with the story, inferring the character's traits and motivations from their actions and words.

Characters can also be classified as static or dynamic. Static characters, like Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird," remain largely unchanged throughout the story. Despite the challenges they face, their fundamental characteristics persist. On the other hand, dynamic characters undergo noticeable change and evolution in response to conflicts and experiences within the narrative. Scout, Atticus' daughter in "To Kill a Mockingbird," is a dynamic character, as she grows and gains a deeper understanding of human nature and social injustice.

The narrative style chosen by an author significantly impacts character development. A linear narrative style presents events in chronological order, allowing for a clear progression of the character's journey. In contrast, a nonlinear narrative style can enhance suspense and provide insight into a character's past through flashbacks, helping readers understand their motives and decisions.

Additionally, the viewpoint narrative style, whether first-person or third-person, influences how readers connect with the characters. A first-person narrative provides an intimate perspective, allowing readers to experience the story directly through the narrator's eyes. Meanwhile, a third-person narrative offers a broader perspective, enabling the exploration of multiple characters' thoughts and feelings.

Ultimately, character development is a multifaceted aspect of narratives, and authors have numerous techniques at their disposal to craft compelling characters that resonate with their audience. The effectiveness of character development contributes significantly to the overall success and comparison of narratives.

Plot structure

The three-act structure is a common structure in classical film and other narrative forms in or associated with the West. The first act begins with the setup, where all of the main characters and their basic situations are introduced, as well as the setting. It contains the primary level of characterisation for both of these (exploring the characters' backgrounds and personalities, the relationships between them, and the dynamics of the world they live in). The second act, or confrontation, is considered to be the bulk of the story. Here, the characters' conflict is most developed (particularly between the protagonist and antagonist) as well as any changes in values and personality one or more characters may undergo (known as character development, or a character arc). This leads to the second plot point, where the second act ends and the protagonist returns to their ordinary world. The third act, or resolution, is when the problem in the story boils over, forcing the characters to confront it, allowing all the elements of the story to come together, leading to the climax, which is the answer to the dramatic question, hand in hand with the end of the conflict.

There are several other types of plot structures as well. The Fichtean Curve is a narrative structure that’s centred around a protagonist’s story of self-discovery and perpetual conflict. The story’s rising action is a series of crises the protagonist must overcome, thereby building tension until they reach the climax. The Hero’s Journey is another well-known narrative structure, widely used in screenwriting and storytelling. It provides a framework for structuring an engaging story with a clear and balanced sense of direction and purpose. The Seven-Point Story Structure focuses specifically on the highs and lows of a narrative arc. According to author Dan Wells, writers are encouraged to start at the end, with the resolution, and work their way back to the starting point.

Nonlinear plot structure is where plot events are introduced outside their chronological sequence. Parallel plot structure is where multiple storylines unfold concurrently. Sometimes they intersect, and sometimes they do not. The circular plot structure is where the story ends where it began, as events eventually lead back to the imagery, event, or actual scene that begins the tale.

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Narrative's emancipatory power

Narratives are central to the success of historical reconstruction and play an essential role in social work. They are also prominent in essays on social issues, fund-raising appeals, political speeches, and they are the bedrock of theater. Foundational narratives are at the roots of major religions and conflicts between them.

The act of telling a story can be experienced as emancipatory by the narrator. This feeling of liberation can result from the content of the story, the relationship between the narrator and the listener, self-discovery during the story-construction process, or the realization that one's narrative is variable and incomplete.

However, if humans shape their stories based on ethical norms, the act of storytelling tends to justify rather than challenge these norms. In this case, if emancipation is understood as freeing oneself from undesirable ways of thinking and acting, the act of narrative-telling rarely has an emancipatory effect on the narrator's ethics.

Wayne Bowman (2006) notes that there is "nothing inherently emancipatory about narrative". While affect theory-inspired research may have a more emancipatory nature than narratives, the uses to which researchers and communities put them remains a central concern.

Despite this, narratives can still be used to challenge existing ethical norms. For example, Arendt used Eichmann's story to unsettle thinking about the nature of evil and democracy. Individuals can use their own and others' stories to problematize what individuals and societies consider ethical.

Additionally, Walter Fisher's narrative paradigm gives rhetorical critics the authority to empower marginalized voices. By shifting the focus of the narrative paradigm from the storyteller to the audience, audiences can construct their own versions of stories and create spaces of resistance.

Narrative resistance provides a platform for tangible applications to support people’s efforts to resist harmful interpretations of their lives. It introduces the concept of 'counter narratives' as a means to 'talk back' to injurious 'master narratives'.

Through its plurivocality, storytelling can act as a connecting perspective, reflecting the heterological character and the 'non-onesidedness' of reality. Stories have the ability to expand one’s worldview by introducing the perspective of 'the Other'.

In conclusion, while narratives may not inherently possess emancipatory power, they can be used as tools for emancipation by challenging ethical norms, empowering marginalized voices, resisting harmful interpretations, and expanding worldviews.

Narrative as a social activity

Narratives are a powerful tool for sharing knowledge and understanding human nature. They are a ubiquitous human activity, present in various forms such as literature, theatre, essays, political speeches, and even games. Narratives can be particularly effective in addressing participant experiences and making sense of complex relations and changes over time.

The term "narrative" refers to the account of events over time, typically with a beginning, middle, and end. These events are structured in a way that creates consequences for both the narrator and the listener/reader. The plot, or sequence of events, progresses through cause and effect, with characters' actions and reactions driving the story forward. Characters are essential elements of a narrative, as their choices, behaviours, and speech convey important motives and create emotional stakes for both the characters and the audience.

Narratives can also be used as a tool for researchers and professionals in various fields. For example, social narratives are evidence-based learning tools designed to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and associated disabilities. These narratives teach social skills, identify social situations, and provide appropriate responses, often using visual aids and personalised stories.

Additionally, narratives can enhance games by reducing cognitive load and increasing player engagement, presence, and immersion. They can also foster character identification and promote perceptions of the game as necessary and fun.

In literature, narratives are subject to various interpretations and theories. For instance, Todorov's narrative model suggests that all narratives follow a cyclical structure, beginning with a state of equilibrium, followed by a disruption, and concluding with a restoration of equilibrium. Other theories, such as Russian formalism, apply methods typically used for fiction to analyse non-fictional texts.

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