English 1028F/G Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Frame Story, William Godwin, The Tingler
Document Summary
Concept of narrative: a sequence of events, real or imagined, that are arranged as a record for imitation of life. Narrative differs from other deep inner structure, appearance of a purpose. Sequence ordered in meaningful way (nothing arbitrary about sequence). May appear to be casual, but is always following a purpose. Want to determine the component parts of narrative then the greater whole. Genres: defined by different narrative conventions that characterize their organization. Certain genres have literary style (how author chose words, arranged pages = syntax): characteristic style of detective fiction usually. Generic conventions means of structuring relationship between reader and text (more than just motifs, characters, plot: structure our experience of text even before arrived at text. Read every text through lens of other texts. A narrative that develops a brooding atmosphere of gloom or terror and represents events which are uncanny, macabre, or melodramatically violent.