Narrative

“Simply put, narrative is the representation of an event or a series of events” (Abbott 2008: 13). It is a universal human phenomenon “carried by articulated language, spoken or written, fixed or moving images, gestures, and the ordered mixture of all these substances” (Barthes 1982: 251). The nature of narrative has been the subject of much debate over the last half century and theorists do not entirely agree on how to define it. Most of them assume that an event alone is sufficient, although others have argued that there needs to be a simultaneous and coordinated presence of both action and character (Altman 2008: 12-17). Crucially, it is the way in which a story (the basic linear elements) is told (the discourse) that characterizes narrative. This process is shaped by who is telling the story and why; its structure (for example, it may or may not have a beginning, middle and end); and the intended audience. Narrative discourse is a way of transforming knowing a story into telling (White 1980: 5). It shapes our lives through the accounts we hear and recount, the texts we read, and the images we observe, ranging from comic strips to digital media and live theatre; these sources help affirm, build, and transform cultural traditions and identities.