Introduction To Narrative Writing Flashcards
What is fiction and what is it’s goal?
Something made up or something fake made to seem real
It can reveal truths that reality obscures
What sustains fiction?
Suspension of disbelief
Define suspension of disbelief
If the writer could infuse their story with human interests and a semblance of truth then the reader would be willing to suspend judgement about plausibility of story
Who coined the term ?
Samuel T. Coleridge (1817)
What does suspension of disbelief imply?
We choose to ignore that what we’re reading is a lie
Define the classical narrative paradigm
‘A whole has a beginning, middle and an end’
Who created the concept of classical narrative paradigm ?
Aristotle, Greek philosopher
Outline the steps of the classical narrative paradigm
- Meet protagonist
- Inciting incident
- Conflict
- Climax
- Resolution
- transformation
Who is the protagonist?
Major character in a story
What is the inciting incident/ catalytic event?
Status quo is disturbed
Change to normal course of protag. Life
Forced to action
What constitutes conflict ?
- Struggle towards a goal
- Antagonistic force
Conflict is necessary in any story
What is an antagonist?
Adversary of protagonist
Not necessarily the ‘villain’
What is the climax ?
High point of the story/ highest tension
What happens in Transformation ?
- Protagonist learns something/ undergoes change
- Gives meaning to story
Why is transformation important ?
- if there is none trader feels disappointed
- gives meaning to the story
