Narrative Form

This handbook concisely introduces narrative form to advanced students of fiction. Beginning with a survey of major theorists and approaches, and using clearly defined terms, Narrative Form explains critical vocabulary and offers a variety of strategies for analyzing the formal qualities of fiction. Keen suggests that interpretations of form can be effectively integrated with contemporary approaches to literature, including feminist, postcolonial, and cultural studies methodologies. Narrative Form shows how to use the language of formal analysis accurately and innovatively. -- Amazon.com This new handbook concisely introduces narrative form to advanced students of fiction. With clearly-defined terms and up-to-date references to a broad array of narrative studies, Narrative Form explains critical vocabulary and offers a variety of strategies for analyzing the formal qualities of fiction. Keen suggests that interpretations of form can be effectively integrated with contemporary approaches to literature, including feminist, postcolonial and cultural studies methodologies. Narrative Form shows how to use the language of formal analysis accurately and innovatively. In clear, readable and accessible style, Keen defines terms and describes debates about: Major Approaches to Narrative Shapes of Narrative: A Whole of Parts Narrative Situation: Who's Who and What's its Function People on Paper: Character, Characterisation and Represented Minds Plot and Causation: Related Events Timing: How Long and How Often? Order and Disorder Levels: Realms of Existence Fictional Worlds and Fictionality Disguises: Fiction in the Form of Non-Fiction Texts Genres and Conventions Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Major Approaches to and Theorists of Narrative....Pages 1-15 Shapes of Narrative: A Whole of Parts....Pages 16-29 Narrative Situation: Who’s Who and What’s its Function....Pages 30-54 People on Paper: Character, Characterization, and Represented Minds....Pages 55-72 Plot and Causation: Related Events....Pages 73-89 Timing: How Long and How Often?....Pages 90-98 Order and Disorder....Pages 99-107 Levels: Realms of Existence....Pages 108-115 Fictional Worlds and Fictionality....Pages 116-127 Disguises: Fiction in the Form of Nonfiction Texts....Pages 128-140 Genres and Conventions....Pages 141-153 Back Matter....Pages 154-204 Suzanne Keen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 179-188) And Index.