Narrative

[nar-uh-tiv]

Noun
The art, technique, or process of telling a story
'Memory itself is dependent on the capacity for narrative' (Porter Abbott P3)

Humans are 'hard wired' for narrative

• Survival tool
• Entertainment
• Information/History

Narrative is historically and culturally positioned

What is the difference between story Three approaches to narrative:

and narrative?
• Reflective - Sees meaning as
• Story is the difference between residing in a person
events and sequences • Intentional - Meaning in the control
• Narrative is how the story is exercised by the producer
conveyed • Constructionist - Social nature of
the construction of meaning

Chosen Fairy-tale to display narrative: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

List of potential perspectives

• Narrator • Goldilocks
• Papa Bear • Mama Bear
• Baby Bear • Any potential
passers by

By selecting different perspectives from a story the narrative can be completely altered. For
example, the three bears: A fitting genre for this perspective could be thriller because the bears
could be afraid of who has entered their home. From the perspective of the bears, there is a sense
of anxiousness and apprehensiveness.

From the perspective of goldilocks, there could also be tension formed as she doesn’t know who's
house she is entering but she determines that the rewards are worth the risk.
• Goldilocks has the choose the right commodity each time she is presented with a choice in
the story to make the risk worth it.

Sizeable element of tension from all perspectives with this chosen genre.

References:

Cobley P (2001), Narrative, Routledge Porter Abbott, H.(2008), The Cambridge

Introduction to Narrative, Cambridge UK:
Fulton H. (2005), Narrative and Media, Cambridge Cambridge Press
University Press
Dictionary.com www.dictionary.com/browse/narrative?s=t
Handler Miller, C. (2008), Digital Storytelling: A
Creators Guide to Interactive Entertainment, 2nd
Edition, London, UK: Focal Press