Narrative Techniques

Definition of Narrative Technique

Narrative technique, a literary device, means specific techniques used in stories. These narrative devices are used to structure stories and help convey messages effectively. These techniques encompass elements such as point of view, dialogue, imagery, symbolism, and pacing, which shape the narrative’s style, tone, and impact on the reader. By employing these techniques, writers can create engaging and memorable literary works with depth and emotional resonance

Types of Narrative Techniques

Type	Definition	Example
Point of View (POV)	Some narrative technique such as POV determines the perspective from which the story is told, such as first-person, third-person limited, or third-person omniscient.	Example: “I walked down the street, feeling the warm sun on my face.” (First-person POV)
Dialogue	This narrative technique shows the spoken or written conversation between characters, used to reveal personalities and advance the plot.	Example: “Hey, how was your day?” Jane asked, smiling.
Imagery	It is the use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates vivid mental images for the reader.	Example: “The tall, ancient trees stood like sentinels in the moonlit forest.”
Flashback and Foreshadowing	Some narrative techniques such as flashbacks take the reader back to events before the current time, while foreshadowing hints at future events.	Example: “As John stared at the old photograph, memories of his childhood flooded back.” (Flashback)
Symbolism	This narrative technique is the use of symbols or objects to represent abstract ideas or themes in the narrative.	Example: The white dove in the story symbolized peace and innocence.
Irony	This narrative technique involves a discrepancy between expectation and reality.	Example: The fire station burned down while the firefighters were away. (Situational irony)
Mood and Tone	This narrative technique refers to the atmosphere or emotional feeling, while tone reflects the author’s attitude toward the subject matter.	Example: The eerie music created a mysterious and suspenseful mood.
Pacing	Some narrative techniques such as pacing mean speed at which events unfold, influencing the intensity and tension of the narrative.	Example: The chase scene in the thriller movie was fast-paced and heart-pounding.
Unreliable Narrator	It means a narrator whose credibility is questionable, intentionally or unintentionally distorting the truth.	Example: The narrator repeatedly forgot important details, making the story unreliable.
Stream of Consciousness	It means presenting the continuous flow of thoughts and feelings of a character, mimicking the human thought process.	Example: The character’s inner monologue revealed her doubts and fears about the upcoming challenge.
Parallelism	This narrative technique means the repetition of words, phrases, or sentence structures to create rhythm or emphasize certain ideas.	Example: “Easy come, easy go.”
Plot Twists	It means unexpected developments in the plot that surprise the reader and add suspense.	Example: The protagonist’s long-lost brother appeared at the end, changing the course of events dramatically.
Epistolary	This narrative technique is a narrative told through a series of documents, such as letters or diary entries.	Example: The novel unfolds through a collection of letters exchanged between the two main characters.
Framing Device	It story within a story where one narrative sets the stage for another.	Example: The main character narrates a story to his friends, and that story becomes the focal point of the novel.

Functions of Narrative Devices

1. Engagement: A narrative technique captures the reader’s attention and maintain interest throughout the story, making the reading experience more engaging and enjoyable.
2. Character Development: Narrative techniques such as dialogue, stream of consciousness, and imagery help reveal the thoughts, emotions, and personalities of characters, leading to their deeper understanding and connection with the reader.
3. Plot Advancement: Narrative devices like foreshadowing, pacing, and plot twists drive the storyline forward, creating tension, suspense, and surprise, while keeping readers invested in the narrative’s progression.
4. Theme Exploration: Symbolism and imagery are narrative techniques that contribute to the exploration of themes and motifs in the story, adding layers of meaning and depth to the overall message conveyed by the author.
5. Emotional Impact: Narrative techniques like mood, tone, and descriptive language evoke specific emotions in readers, allowing them to experience the story on a deeper emotional level.
6. Perspective and Interpretation: Point of view and unreliable narrators influence the reader’s perspective, leading to different interpretations and understanding of events and characters.
7. World-Building: Narrative techniques create the setting and atmosphere of the story, immersing readers in a vividly constructed world that enhances the narrative’s realism and believability.
8. Reader Involvement: Certain devices, such as epistolary style or second-person POV, involve readers more directly in the narrative, blurring the lines between the reader and the story’s world.
9. Authenticity: Narrative techniques also lend authenticity to the narrative, making it feel more real and relatable to readers by mimicking real-life thought processes, conversations, and experiences.
10. Artistic Expression: The use of various narrative techniques allows authors to express their unique writing styles, creativity, and vision, making each literary work distinctive and memorable.
11. Suspense and Surprise: Some narrative techniques like foreshadowing and plot twists keep readers on the edge of their seats, heightening suspense and delivering unexpected revelations that add excitement to the reading experience.
12. Reflection and Insight: Stream of consciousness and internal monologues provide insight into a character’s thoughts and self-reflection, offering readers a deeper understanding of their motivations and actions.

In short, narrative techniques are indispensable tools for writers, enriching the storytelling experience and facilitating the communication of ideas, emotions, and themes to readers effectively.

Suggested Readings about Narrative Techniques

1. Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1997.
2. Booth, Wayne C. The Rhetoric of Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 1983.
3. Brooks, Peter. Reading for the Plot: Design and Intention in Narrative. Harvard University Press, 1984.
4. Genette, Gérard. Narrative Discourse: An Essay in Method. Cornell University Press, 1983.
5. McHale, Brian. Postmodernist Fiction. Routledge, 1987.
6. Propp, Vladimir. Morphology of the Folktale. University of Texas Press, 1968.
7. Rimmon-Kenan, Shlomith. Narrative Fiction: Contemporary Poetics. Routledge, 2002.
8. Schmid, Wolf. Narratology: An Introduction. De Gruyter, 2010.
9. Scholes, Robert. Textual Power: Literary Theory and the Teaching of English. Yale University Press, 1985.
10. Todorov, Tzvetan. The Poetics of Prose. Cornell University Press, 1977.