Examples of Narrative Essays

literature each have their own tools for manipulating narrative structure” (16). Authors do not write books as a potential film project, so movies must utilize different techniques to keep their inspirations while fitting the new format. In Dracula, the characters have long discussions or written monologues, which would be difficult to duplicate in a silent film. Instead, Nosferatu must rely upon action on the screen to drive the plot. For example, Dracula associated Renfield’s portrayal of…

with hints regarding what she has already experienced before getting into the story. The use of foreshadow early in the story enables the readers to explore more regarding Janie and her story, which grips the readers’ attention. In addition, another example of foreshadow in the story is evident in the funeral of the town mule: “As soon as the crowd was out of sight they closed in circles. The near ones got nearer and the far ones got near. A circle, a swoop and a hop with spread out wings”…

A dynamic character is defined by: “those who change significantly during the course of a narrative or whose full personalities are revealed gradually throughout the story” (100). In “A&P”, Sammy is initially shown as a cynical young man who considers other people to be “sheep” (20), but later he selflessly comes to the defense of others against his manager. Similarly in “Cathedral”, the unnamed narrator is at first wary of Robert (the blind man) because of the misconceptions and prejudices he…

Characteristics of the MPDG? The 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl' (MPDG) is a trope commonly found in modern literature and film. This stock character can be found in a wide variety of works, from that of classics such as Truman Capote to newcomers such as John Green. The term 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl' was coined by Nathan Rabin, and was first used to describe Claire Colburn of the film “Elizabethtown". Rabin himself described the trope as "that bubbly, shallow cinematic creature that exists solely in…

A good narrator can change a good story into a great one. In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the author, Ken Kesey, takes an unconventional approach to choosing the narrator. Rather than selecting the main character or even no character at all, Kesey decided to use a side character such as Chief Bromden, often referred to as Chief Broom, is a quiet, yet peculiar character in the novel. He narrates the entire story from an observer’s point of view while pretending to be deaf and dumb.…

Brett Zimmerman took another supporting view of the narrator, in his article about “The Tell-Tale Heart” called Frantic Forensic Oratory, in which he says, “‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ is in fact an extended example of what classical Greek and Roman rhetors called antirrhesis”(40). Zimmerman explained that antirrhesis was “the rejection of an argument or opinion because of its error, wickedness, or insignificance”(40). Zimmerman’s take on “The Tell-Tale Heart”…

the motivation to drink” (348). The neurobiological aspect is that of a physical dependency. Don suffers from withdrawal symptoms, which is evident in the scene where he is frantically searching for his hidden whiskey, desperate to get his fix. An example of an environmental factor would be Don’s failing career. He finds himself unable to write so he turns to drinking to create a sense of “euphoria and reduction of anxiety” (348). The irony of it all is that drinking to relieve anxiety only…

CHAPTER 3: CRAFTMANSHIP IN THE WORKS OF RUSKIN BOND Bond is the master storyteller of the present age because he has developed his individual style of narration. His narration is marked with simplicity of tone and depth of meaning. Though, writing for him is a spontaneous overflow of emotions, his stories are carefully crafted. For him writing is a means of conversing with the world. He writes to ease his soul. He also believes that writing is an art, it needs as much devotion and love as an…

What makes a story great? According to many, it all depends on characterisation and keeping the plot originally fascinating. There are also various integrals that help support these aspects of a “great story” which are thoroughly arranged in The Swimmer and Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? The first story listed is by John Cheever and tells the tale of a man journeying to retain his youth, but in the end, loses more than he realises. Ironically enough, this is similar to what the…

a man of detail in vivid depictions of events and his thoughts along the way. Though Dave frequently gives readers an almost troublingly detailed recount of what he’s been through, there are instances in which Dave more subtly involves us in his narrative. Such an instance presents itself between pages 114 and 120 where what at first seems to be a conversation between Dave and Toph, is revealed to be Dave cathartically grappling with the problems he has with himself. I believe Eggers…