Understanding Narrative Texts: Structure, Elements, and Genres
A narrative is a text in which a narrator explains the development of events, which may be real or fictitious, over time.
Characteristics of Narrative Text
The main features of narrative texts are:
- They are usually written in prose.
- There is the presence of a narrator who tells the story.
- Linguistically, they are based on the verb because of the action expressed by the verb.
- They contain descriptions and dialogues.
Narrative Text Structure
The narrative text can present two types of structures:
Linear or Continuous Structure
It is the most common type and consists of explaining the facts in chronological order. It has:
- Approach or Introduction: This is the situation and the start of the conflict.
- Knot or Development: The central body of the narrative. Throughout the narrative, tension increases the knot until the climax (climax announcing the outcome).
- Denouement or Conclusion: The story ends. The outcome can be:
- Closed: The conflict is resolved.
- Open: The conflict is not decided clearly, and the reader can imagine several endings.
Nonlinear or Discontinuous Structure
The temporal order of events is altered. There are several resources to sort the facts discontinuously:
- Action begins in medias res: The story begins in the full development of the action. It is a sudden onset.
- A step backward in time can be made: Analepsis or flashback.
- Anticipation in time can be made: Prolepsis or flash-forward.
Elements of the Story
The basic elements of narration are the narrator, time, space, and characters.
The Narrator
The narrator tells the story and sets the viewpoint from which to narrate the facts.
- Internal Narrator: Intervening in the action. Maybe the character (1st person), a witness (3rd person), or multiselective (different characters of the work that explain the story in the 1st person).
- External or Omniscient Narrator: Does not intervene in history. Explains the facts in the 3rd person, from outside. Maybe:
- Overall: If it knows everything, it knows how people think.
- Partial: Only explains what is seen, like a film camera.
Time and Space
- Historical Time: The time when action occurs.
- Narrative Time: Hours, days, or years it takes for the action to occur.
- Space: Where the action occurs.
Characters
Characters are beings, generally people, involved in the action. According to their complexity, they can be:
- Flat: Simple and do not evolve.
- Round: Complex and undergo changes.
Based on their function, they may be:
- Protagonists: The main characters.
- Antagonists: The characters who oppose the main characters.
- Secondary: Essential to the development of the action.
Main Narrative Genres
They are classified based on the real or fictitious character of the events narrated.
Narrative Genres of Fiction
- Epic: A vast narrative poem that tells the extraordinary actions of gods and legendary heroes of a people. Usually anonymous and of traditional character.
- Romance: A narrative in verse that deals with the ancient legends connected with King Arthur.
- The Story: A short narrative, in prose, which explains extraordinary facts.
- The Traditional Fairy Tale: Anonymous, often transmitted orally, and usually has a moralizing function.
- The Literary Story: The work of a known author and is written.
- Novel: An extensive narrative in prose, which tells a fictional story with the desire that it seems plausible. There are many types:
- Chivalric Novel: Appeared in the 15th century.
- Historical Novel: Appeared during the Romantic period.
- Realist and Naturalist Novel: Dominant in the second half of the 19th century.
- Adventure Novel.
- Psychological Novel: Very important in the 20th century.
Narrative Genres that are Not Fiction
- Essay: The author expresses their ideas on politics, religion, history, etc. It is closely linked to the newspaper article, published in the press, and about current issues.
- Memoirs: An autobiographical narrative in which the author explains the events they have lived through and makes an assessment.