The Cambridge Introduction to Narative is designed to help readers understand what narrative is, how it is constructed, how it acts upon us, how we act upon it, how it is transmitted, and how it changes when the medium or the cultural context change. Porter Abbott emphasizes that narrative is found not just in the arts but everywhere in the ordinary course of people's lives. Abbott grounds his treatment of narrative by introducing it as a human phenomenon that is not restricted to literature, film, and theatre, but is found in all activities that involve the representation of events in time.
At the same time, he honors the fact that out of this common capability have come rich and meaningful narratives that we come back to and reflect on repeatedly in our lives. An indispensable tool for students and teachers alike, this book will guide readers through the fundamental aspects of narrative.
Chapter 1 Narrative and life
Chapter 2 Defining narrative
Chapter 3 The borders of narrative
Chapter 4 The rhetoric of narrative
Chapter 5 Closure
Chapter 6 Narration
Chapter 7 Interpreting narrative
Chapter 8 Three ways to interpret narrative
Chapter 9 Adaptation across media
Chapter 10 Character and self in narrative
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