The Art of Narrative Craft
In the exemplary stories that follow, the setting takes over the narrative, almost as if it is a character in the story. In Jack London’s “To Build a Fire,” the setting actually is a character in the story, and is, in fact, the antagonist of the story. And Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is actually about the setting. As you Continue reading SETTING STORIES
Now, let’s see how a couple of real masters handled these elements of story and plot, and the elements of dramatic structure (conflict-crisis-resolution). In Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and James Joyce’s “Araby,” all the elements of dramatic structure are evident as the stories build from conflict to crisis and resolution. Copyright laws prevent me from posting Continue reading STORIES
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Absolution” (which is the discarded first chapter of The Great Gatsby), and William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning,” each author’s unique narrative ‘voice’ is present in every corner of every page. Their voices are unmistakable. Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby can be seen as a young boy, in the frightening presence of a priest who is on the brink of Continue reading STORIES FOR VOICE AND STYLE
Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” and Junot Díaz’s “Fiesta, 1980,” present memorable characters whose personality traits make them unforgettable. In “Cathedral” we have a reliable and mostly unlikable narrator whose character undergoes such an overwhelming transformation during the short term of the story, perhaps several hours, that we are astounded at Carver’s ability to depict this most human side of the human Continue reading STORIES FOR CHARACTERIZATION
Stories that provide definitive examples of showing, not telling, are Hemingway’s “Indian Camp” and Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis.” “Indian Camp” is a coming of age story told through the close 3rd Person POV of a young boy who accompanies his doctor-father to an Indian camp to assist in an emergency birth. It’s important to note the way Hemingway never leaves the Continue reading STORIES FOR SHOW AND TELL
Exemplary stories for the 1st Person Point of View include Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” and Eudora Welty’s “Why I Live at the P.O.” Both of these stories present what is called the unreliable narrator, which you will discover when you read them. An exemplary story for the little-used (because difficult to sustain) 2nd Person POV would be “How To Continue reading STORIES FOR POINT OF VIEW
Now, let’s see how a couple of real masters handled these elements of story and plot, and the elements of dramatic structure (conflict-crisis-resolution). In Jack London’s “To Build a Fire” and James Joyce’s “Araby” all the elements of dramatic structure are evident as the stories build from the conflict to the crisis and resolution. Stories that illustrate the techniques of Continue reading STORIES FOR STORY, PLOT, AND STRUCTURE