A narrative technique, often referred to as a narrative device or, in fiction, a fictional device, encompasses any of several storytelling methods employed by a story's creator. These techniques are crucial for effectively relaying information to the audience, making the story more complete, complex, or engaging. While some scholars might use the term "narrative mode," this can also more narrowly refer to the specific technique of using commentary
to deliver a story. It's important to distinguish narrative techniques from narrative elements, as the latter are inherent in all narrative works, whereas techniques are optional strategies chosen by the storyteller.
Essential Storytelling Tools
Narrative techniques serve as the building blocks for how a story unfolds and how its information is presented. They are deliberate choices made by authors to shape the reader's experience and understanding. For instance, "backstory" is a technique that involves revealing past events or background information that adds meaning to current circumstances. A prime example is *The Lord of the Rings* trilogy, which, despite covering a relatively short period, provides glimpses into mythological and historical events from earlier ages, enriching the main narrative.
Another powerful technique is "foreshadowing," where an author implicitly and intentionally suggests events that are yet to occur. This can build suspense and create a sense of anticipation. "Chekhov's gun" is a dramatic principle that demands every element in a narrative be substantive; if a rifle is mentioned in the first chapter, it must be fired later. This principle emphasizes the importance of relevance and economy in storytelling, ensuring that no detail is redundant or arbitrary. These techniques demonstrate how authors carefully construct their narratives to achieve specific effects.
Manipulating Time and Expectation
Storytellers often manipulate the sequence of events to create dramatic impact. "Flashback," or analepsis, alters time sequences by taking characters back to earlier points in the tale. The Arabian Nights tale "The Three Apples" uses this effectively, starting with a dead body and then having the murderer narrate the events leading up to it as a flashback. Conversely, "flashforward," or prolepsis, temporarily jumps the narrative forward in time, often revealing future events or projections, as seen in *A Christmas Carol* when Scrooge visits the ghost of the future.
"In medias res" is a technique where a story begins in the middle of a sequence of events, immediately immersing the audience in the action. Epic poems like Homer's *Iliad* and *Odyssey* famously employ this, with the *Odyssey* beginning with Odysseus's return home and then recounting his ten years of wandering through flashbacks. This approach, often serving as a "narrative hook," grabs the reader's attention from the outset. "Cliffhangers" also play on expectation, ending a narrative unresolved to draw the audience back for a future episode, a common feature in TV shows like *Dexter* and *Breaking Bad*.
Unexpected Turns and Symbolic Justice
Narrative techniques can also introduce unexpected twists or deliver symbolic justice. A "plot twist" is an unexpected change in the direction or outcome of the plot, as exemplified by the surprising revelation of the murderer in "The Three Apples." A "red herring" is used to divert attention away from a significant item, often in mystery fiction, by making an innocent party appear suspicious to mislead the audience from the true culprit. These techniques keep the audience engaged and challenge their assumptions.
"Poetic justice" is a technique where virtue is ultimately rewarded, or vice is punished, often through an ironic twist of fate directly related to the character's own conduct. Wile E. Coyote's repeated failures with his own contraptions against the Road Runner serve as a classic example. Similarly, the punishments in Dante's *Inferno* are symbolic instances of poetic justice. These narrative choices not only entertain but also reinforce thematic elements and moral frameworks within a story.
