Glossary
Chronological Distance
The amount of time that has passed between the events being narrated and the moment of narration.
Example:
A character recounting childhood memories years later demonstrates a large chronological distance from the original events.
Close Distance
A narrative technique where the narrator is positioned very near to the action, characters, and their emotions, fostering a sense of immediacy.
Example:
A stream-of-consciousness narration often employs close distance, allowing readers direct access to a character's unfiltered thoughts and feelings.
Detachment
A state of emotional separation or objectivity from the events or characters, often achieved through distant narrative distance.
Example:
A narrator who describes a tragic event without expressing personal sorrow or judgment maintains a notable detachment.
Distant Distance
A narrative technique where the narrator is positioned far from the action, characters, and their emotions, promoting detachment and objectivity.
Example:
A historical account written centuries after the events, focusing on broad societal trends, typically maintains a distant distance.
Emotional Investment
The degree to which the narrator is emotionally involved with or affected by the events and characters in the story.
Example:
A narrator who frequently expresses sorrow or joy over character fates shows high emotional investment in the narrative.
Immediacy
The quality of feeling as if events are happening right now, often created by a close narrative distance.
Example:
The use of present tense and direct address in a story can create a powerful sense of immediacy, making the reader feel present in the scene.
Intimacy
A feeling of closeness and personal connection between the reader and the characters or narrator, often a result of close narrative distance.
Example:
A diary entry shared with the reader cultivates a strong sense of intimacy, as personal thoughts and vulnerabilities are revealed.
Mood
The emotional atmosphere or feeling that a literary work evokes in the reader, distinct from the author's or narrator's attitude.
Example:
A description of a dark, stormy night with creaking doors can establish a suspenseful and eerie mood for the reader.
Narrative Distance
The narrator's relationship to the story, encompassing how close or far they are from the action, characters, and emotions.
Example:
In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway's narrative distance allows him to observe the lavish parties and tragic events of West Egg with a blend of fascination and moral judgment.
Objectivity
The quality of being unbiased and neutral in presenting information, often associated with a distant narrative perspective.
Example:
A scientific report aims for complete objectivity, presenting facts without personal opinion or emotional coloring.
Perspective
The point of view from which a story is told, determining which details are presented and how they are interpreted by the narrator or a character.
Example:
Telling a story from a child's perspective can highlight innocence and wonder, even in mundane situations.
Physical Distance
Refers to how close the narrator is geographically or spatially to the events or characters in the story.
Example:
A narrator describing a battle from a distant hilltop exhibits significant physical distance from the immediate chaos.
Point of View
The position from which a story is observed and narrated, influencing what information is revealed and how it is perceived.
Example:
A first-person point of view limits the reader to only what the narrator knows, sees, and feels.
Relationship (Narrative)
Describes whether the narrator is a participant in the story's events or an external observer, and their connection to the characters.
Example:
In Moby Dick, Ishmael's role as a crew member on the Pequod establishes a direct relationship to the events and characters, making him a participant narrator.
Tone
The narrator's or speaker's attitude towards the subject, characters, or events, conveyed through word choice and sentence structure.
Example:
The sarcastic tone of a character's dialogue can reveal their disdain for a situation, even if their words are outwardly polite.