writing structures the narrative grand valley state university writing 150
TRANSCRIPT
Writing StructuresWriting Structures
The NarrativeThe Narrative
Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State UniversityWriting 150Writing 150
Purpose of the Purpose of the PresentationPresentation
to offer alternative structures for to offer alternative structures for the telling of a storythe telling of a story
to consider the methods of several to consider the methods of several mastersmasters
to help our students to understand to help our students to understand how structure contributes to the how structure contributes to the idea of the story idea of the story
to enjoy the fun of buildingto enjoy the fun of building
Unstructured Unstructured structured storystructured story Description of Description of
personperson Narrative of eventNarrative of event Student’s essayStudent’s essay Elimination of Elimination of
extraneous detailextraneous detail Things that are Things that are
useful for useful for advancing the storyadvancing the story
Placing description Placing description into narrativeinto narrative
Adding dialogueAdding dialogue Framing--example Framing--example
from “The Story of from “The Story of the Barber’s Fifth the Barber’s Fifth Brother” from Brother” from The The Thousand Nights Thousand Nights and One Nightand One Night
Framed narrativeFramed narrative
Description
NarrativeFram
e
Fram
e
Unstructured Structured Narrative
Time of Day StructureTime of Day Structure
Model--“There will Come Soft Rains” Model--“There will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradburyby Ray Bradbury
““In the living room the voice-clock In the living room the voice-clock sang, sang, Tick-tock, seven o’clock, time to Tick-tock, seven o’clock, time to get up, time to get up, seven o’clock!get up, time to get up, seven o’clock! as if it were afraid that nobody as if it were afraid that nobody would.”would.”
Analysis: use of structure to Analysis: use of structure to communicate an idea without saying itcommunicate an idea without saying it
Imagination/reality Imagination/reality StructureStructure Model-- “The Secret Life of Walter Model-- “The Secret Life of Walter
Mitty” by James ThurberMitty” by James Thurber ““We’re going through! The We’re going through! The
Commander’s voice was like thin ice Commander’s voice was like thin ice breaking.”breaking.”
Use of the structure to approximate Use of the structure to approximate emotional disjuncture and subsequent emotional disjuncture and subsequent retreat from the discomfort of being retreat from the discomfort of being henpeckedhenpecked
Reality
Imagination
Reality
Imagination
Reality
Imagination
Imagination/Reality Structure
Story within a Story Story within a Story StructureStructure Model--“The Musgrave Ritual” by Sir Model--“The Musgrave Ritual” by Sir
Arthur Conan DoyleArthur Conan Doyle ““An anomaly which often struck me in the character of my An anomaly which often struck me in the character of my
friend Sherlock Holmes was that, although in his methods of friend Sherlock Holmes was that, although in his methods of thought he was the neatest and most methodical of mankind, thought he was the neatest and most methodical of mankind, and although also he affected a certain quiet primness of and although also he affected a certain quiet primness of dress, he was nonetheless in his personal habits one of the dress, he was nonetheless in his personal habits one of the most untidy men that ever drove a fellow-lodger to most untidy men that ever drove a fellow-lodger to distraction.”distraction.”
Use of structure to embed a tale of Use of structure to embed a tale of murder within the vault of the story in murder within the vault of the story in a way that is analogous to the contenta way that is analogous to the content
Maid’s story
Musgrave’s story
Sherlock Holmes’ story
Doctor Watson’s story
The Story within a Story Structure
What do these words and What do these words and sentences have in sentences have in
common?common?
Level, radar, and Hannah.Level, radar, and Hannah. Draw, o coward!Draw, o coward! Madam, I’m Adam.Madam, I’m Adam. Ten animals I slam in a net.Ten animals I slam in a net. Able was I ere I saw Elba.Able was I ere I saw Elba.
Why would an author Why would an author want to construct a want to construct a
palindrome?palindrome?
Authors like the Authors like the palindromepalindrome
because it has a pocket in the because it has a pocket in the center where the he or she center where the he or she can put things.can put things.
Palindromic StructurePalindromic Structure
Model--the exemplum of The Model--the exemplum of The Pardoner’s Tale of Pardoner’s Tale of The Canterbury The Canterbury TalesTales by Geoffrey Chaucer by Geoffrey Chaucer
““Thise ryotoures three, of whiche I Thise ryotoures three, of whiche I telle, Longe erst er pryme rong of any telle, Longe erst er pryme rong of any belle, Were set hem in a taverne for belle, Were set hem in a taverne for to drinke;”to drinke;”
Use of structure to offer an alternate Use of structure to offer an alternate meaning to the storymeaning to the story
3 rioters boy taverner 3 trees apothecary man 3 rioters(alive) (dead)
Palindromic Structure
Writing StructuresWriting Structures
The NarrativeThe Narrative
Grand Valley State UniversityGrand Valley State UniversityWriting 150Writing 150