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hen reading a novel, watching a film, or even playing a story-driven video game, you may find that each of
rogramming assignments are the tasks and projects which are assigned to the students. These assignments focus on the
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hen reading a novel, watching a
these works is in recognisable patterns. They can have a hero, a quest to conquer, a turning point and an ultimate conclusion. These are not random patterns but are constructed based on narrative conventions.
film, or even playing a story-driven video game, you may find that each of these works is in recognisable patterns. They can have a hero, a quest to conquer, a turning point and an ultimate conclusion. These are not random patterns but are constructed based on narrative conventions.
These conventions are something that you, as a student, must know. Why? Since most of your literature and storytelling-related assignments require you to study the mechanics behind stories. Understanding these narrative conventions puts you in a great position, whether it's a text you are asked to critique, an essay, or just make up your own short story.
Here in this blog, you will find out in detail what a narrative convention is, explore a list of narrative conventions in detail, along with examples of both primary and secondary narrative conventions and learn the conventions of narrative writing with practical application. By the end, you will view how this knowledge can be used to reinforce your academic work.
Let us answer this significant question: What is a narrative convention?
A narrative convention is a device, method, or plot element that storytellers consto convey truct meaning within a narrative. Consider it a recipe, like making a cake, which requires flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. Like writing a story, you need characters, plot, conflict, and themes. There are narrative conventions that lead the audience to understand the story appropriately.
For example:
'Happily Ever After' in fairytales is a narrative convention.
The use of clues and red herrings in mystery novels is also called conventions of narrative writing.
The background music, commonly used to indicate tension, love, or threat is also convention.
Stories would be incomplete or confusing in the absence of these conventions. When you are a student writing an essay, you will recurrently be requested to recognise and interpret these conventions in specific texts.
To grasp storytelling, you must have a good understanding of the list of conventions of narratives. They typically fall into primary conventions that are the basic building blocks, and secondary conventions are the amplifying tricks of the story. The following are the major ones:
Plot: The structured chronology of some action in a story.
Characters: These are the characters or beings on whose movement the story operates.
Setting: Where and when the story is set.
Theme: The main message or moral lesson of the story.
Conflict: Internal or external conflicts faced by the characters.
Point of View: The stance of the storytelling.
Tone and Mood: The moods expressed in the story.
Symbolism: It is the objects, actions or colours that symbolise more.
Structure: How the story is structured (linear, non-linear, cyclical).
Style of Language: The precise selection of words, images and conversations.
This list of conventions of narratives is what you use to consciously or unconsciously employ to make a story meaningful.
The foundation of any story is primary conventions. This means that without them, the story cannot exist. Let us examine the narrative conventions examples with some of the widely read texts:
Plot
Romeo and Juliet's storyline is the tragic circle of love, misunderstanding and death.
In superhero films such as Spider-Man, the story is based on how the hero becomes extraordinary from being normal.
Characters
In Harry Potter, Harry, Hermione, and Ron are portrayed as courageous, intelligent, and loyal characters.
Sherlock Holmes is logical and deductive, whereas Watson provides balance through empathy.
Setting
Oppression and struggle are the first indications of the dystopian world in Hunger Games.
The rural southern town in To Kill A Mockingbird throws light on racial tension.
Conflict
There are external conflicts of betrayal by Scar in The Lion King and internal disputes of doubt within Simba himself.
Frodo in the lord of the Rings is strained with burden of the ring.
Theme
In the Animal Farm, the corruption of power is the theme.
Love, class and reputation are the themes that prevail in Pride and Prejudice.
These are examples of how primary conventions are the foundation of any story.
Secondary narrative conventions give a story its depth and texture. Although they are not crucial, they make the storytelling process more wholesome. A couple of examples of narrative conventions of this category are given below:
Tone and Mood
In Frankenstein, the story is chilling due to the use of the gothic mood.
In romantic comedies, there is always a light-hearted tone that reflects humour and warmth.
Symbolism
The Mockingjay in The Hunger Games is the symbol of the rebel.
The green light in The Great Gatsby is the symbol of unfulfilled dreams.
Language Style
Charles Dickens is a vivid depictor of scenes in Great Expectations through rich and descriptive language.
In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway employs short and plain sentences to relay pure emotion.
Structure
In Harry Potter, JK Rowling uses a mix of first-person and third-person narrative to build the tension and suspense.
Odyssey uses episodic form to represent the adventures of how the hero accomplished his mission.
These conventions do not make the story exist and render it more memorable and impactful.
You must have a good idea of narrative writing conventions to be able to analyse stories. The following are the methods by which authors develop their stories:
Characterisation: Building up characters by acting, talking or even not talking.
Narrative Voice: Choosing if the narrator is omniscient, limited, reliable or unreliable.
Imagery: The application of sensory images to paint pictures in the readers' minds.
Symbolism and Metaphor: Giving the story its secondary meanings.
Foreshadowing: Cluing to what will occur in the future of the story.
Appreciating how authors craft stories is something that you can only do when you are aware of these conventions of narrative in the story. The skill is invaluable when you write literature essays, helping you compose more powerful, evidence-based arguments.
The familiarity with these conventions does not simply mean passing exams. It helps you to:
Critically analyse texts and find the depths of meaning.
Write more vigorous structure essays.
Write creative work in a more polished way.
Make comparisons of literature.
Identify the effects of stories on audiences at a cultural and social level.
To sum up, the study of narrative conventions is similar to the language of narration. You become fluent, and your academic and creative writing improves.
To wrap up, knowing what constitutes a narrative convention and learning all narrative conventions is very important in analysing and creating stories. You have already seen the example of a primary and secondary narrative convention, that helps you write a better essay or story. This knowledge provides you with the means to write better, read deeper, receive knowledge of literature, and understand the world of literature more deeply.
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