Frame Story in Literature

Introduction: Frame Story in Literature

A frame story in literature, as a literary device, is a narrative structure that serves as a contextual framework for other stories within a larger narrative. It typically involves a secondary narrative or introductory context that encloses and frames the main narrative.

This technique allows authors to create layers of storytelling, providing additional depth and perspective to the central plot. Frame stories are often used to offer commentary, set a specific tone, or to provide a lens through which readers can interpret the inner tales, contributing to a richer and more intricate narrative experience.

Examples of Frame Story in Literature

Work and Example	Explanation
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer	Chaucer’s work is structured as a pilgrimage where a diverse group of travelers shares their own tales during the journey to Canterbury. This frame story sets the stage for the individual narratives within the larger work.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley	The novel begins with a series of letters written by Robert Walton to his sister, providing context for Victor Frankenstein’s narrative about the creation of his monster. The letters serve as a frame story.
One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights)	The collection of Middle Eastern folktales is framed by the story of Scheherazade, who tells her husband, King Shahryar, a new story each night to save her life. This overarching narrative serves as the frame story.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë	Mr. Lockwood’s diary entries, as he recounts his experiences at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, serve as the frame story that introduces the reader to the primary narrative of Heathcliff and Catherine.
The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio	Set during the Black Death, this collection of tales follows a group of young people who take refuge in a villa. The frame story provides the context for the ten stories each character tells over ten days.
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights translated by Malcolm C. Lyons	In this modern translation, Shahrazad’s storytelling to King Shahryar, who postpones her execution to hear her tales, serves as the frame story that encapsulates the numerous tales within the collection.

How to Create Frame Story in Literature

1. Choose a Framing Device: Select a narrative device or a character who will serve as the storyteller or narrator of the frame story. This character should provide the context for the main narrative within the story.
2. Establish the Setting: Clearly define the setting in which the frame story takes place. Whether it’s a specific location, time period, or circumstances, the setting should help set the stage for the storytelling.
3. Introduce the Main Narrative: Use the frame story to introduce the central plot or the main narrative that you want to tell. This can be done through dialogue, a diary, or other means, allowing the reader to transition seamlessly into the primary storyline.
4. Interweave Themes and Connections: Ensure that the frame story and the main narrative are thematically connected. The frame story can often provide context, commentary, or a different perspective on the central themes explored in the main narrative.
5. Conclude and Reflect: Conclude the frame story effectively, and if necessary, return to it at the end of the work to reflect on the events of the main narrative. This reflection can provide insight or resolution, tying the frame story and the central narrative together.

Creating a frame story involves careful planning and consideration to provide readers with a richer, more layered literary experience.

Benefits of Using Frame Story in Literature

1. Enhanced Context: Frame stories in literature provide a contextual framework that helps readers better understand and appreciate the main narrative.
2. Complex Narratives: They allow for the inclusion of multiple stories or perspectives, adding depth and complexity to the overall narrative.
3. Engagement: Frame stories can captivate readers from the very beginning by introducing an intriguing or relatable narrative device or character.
4. Thematic Exploration: The frame story can be used to explore and emphasize the central themes and messages of the main narrative.
5. Reflection and Commentary: Authors can use the frame story to offer commentary, reflection, or a change in perspective on the events within the primary narrative.
6. Continuity and Unity: They help maintain continuity and unity in a story, especially when the main narrative consists of various separate episodes or tales.
7. Variety and Versatility: Frame stories provide authors with a flexible storytelling tool, suitable for a wide range of genres and themes.
8. Reader Engagement: They pique the curiosity of readers, encouraging them to explore the stories within the story, fostering a deeper engagement with the text.
9. Historical and Cultural Context: Frame stories can provide insight into the cultural or historical context in which the narrative is situated.
10. Literary Tradition: They have a long and storied tradition in literature, connecting contemporary works to a rich history of storytelling.

Frame Story in Literature and Literary Theory

Theory	Critique
Structural Analysis:	When analyzing the structural aspects of the frame story, it’s essential to consider its placement within the narrative and the relationship between the frame and inner stories. This examination should reveal how this structural choice influences the reader’s overall experience.
Narrative Function:	When critiquing the narrative function of the frame story, it’s crucial to evaluate how well it fulfills its role in the larger narrative. Assess whether it effectively serves as a device for introducing, contextualizing, or providing commentary on the main narrative.
Narrator’s Perspective:	In the analysis of the frame story’s narrator or storyteller, focus on their reliability, subjectivity, and the impact of their perspective on the reader’s understanding of the story. This exploration should shed light on the narrative’s reliability and the lens through which it’s presented.
Thematic Exploration:	While examining the thematic connections between the frame story and the inner narrative, discuss how the frame story contributes to the exploration of central themes and whether it adds depth to the text. This evaluation should reveal the thematic coherence and enrichment provided by the frame story.
Character Development:	Assess character development within the frame story, emphasizing how the characters evolve or remain static. Consider how their growth or lack thereof influences the inner stories and the overarching narrative.
Reader Engagement:	When critiquing how the frame story engages the reader, evaluate its effectiveness in piquing curiosity and fostering a sense of intrigue or anticipation. This assessment should gauge the narrative’s ability to captivate the reader from the outset.
Narrative Closure:	Consider how the frame story is concluded or resolved. Analyze whether it offers a sense of closure, reflection, or leaves the reader with lingering questions. This examination should uncover the narrative’s ability to provide a satisfying or thought-provoking ending.
Metafictional Elements:	In assessing any metafictional aspects of the frame story, such as self-awareness or commentary on the act of storytelling, discuss how these elements affect the reader’s interpretation of the narrative. This analysis should explore how metafictional elements enhance or alter the reader’s engagement.
Historical and Cultural Context:	Assess the frame story within the context of the time and culture in which the work was written. Consider how it reflects or comments on contemporary literary trends and societal values. This evaluation should illuminate the narrative’s cultural and historical significance.
Literary Tradition:	Explore how the use of a frame story aligns with or diverges from literary tradition, and assess its place within the broader history of storytelling and narrative techniques. This examination should reveal the narrative’s connections to or deviations from established literary conventions.

Suggested Readings

1. Genette, Gérard. Narrative Discourse: An Essay in Method. Cornell University Press, 1980.
2. McHale, Brian. Postmodernist Fiction. Routledge, 2001.
3. Miles, Robert. Gothic Writing 1750-1820: A Genealogy. Routledge, 1993.
4. Sternberg, Meir. The Poetics of Biblical Narrative: Ideological Literature and the Drama of Reading. Indiana University Press, 1987.