elements-of-the-novel

ElementsoftheNovelByRobert6.1.1StoryWhatisStory?Astoryisaseriesofhappeningarragedinthenaturaltemporalorderastheyoccur.Storyisthebasisofthenovel,andindeedthebasisofnarrativeworksofallkinds.ForsterlistsstoryasthefirstaspectinhisAspectsofthenovel.PeoplereadingstoriesusuallyaskqueationslikeWhathappenednext?Whatwouldhedonext?Thetwoquestionsshowthetwobasicelementsofastory,theeventandthetime.6.1.2ThestoryandthenovelToreadnovelsforstoryisnothingwrong,butnothingprofessionaleither.Ifthepurposeofthenovelisonlytotellstories,itcouldaswellremainunborn,fornewspapersandhistorybooksaresufficienttosatisfypeople'sdesireforstoriesaboutbothpresentandpast,andeventhefuture.Asindicatedinthedefinationofthenovel,whatmakesanovelanovelisthenovelist'sstyle(personalizedpresentationofthestory)andinterpretationofthestory.Apartfromthestory,thereadershouldreadmoreforthestyle.6.2CharacterBroadly,acharacterisaninventedpersonalitytoresemblebutnevertoequalarealpersoninlife.eg.GeorgeOrwellusesanimalstorepresenthumanbeingsinhisnovelAnimalfarm.Nosensiblereader,afterreadinghisnovel,wouldgotopigstytolookforatalkingboar.Thecharactersactthewayweactorthewaywecanunderstand(likeordislike).Butwemustbearinmindthatcharactersarenotrealpersons,butmerelyinventions,howeveringenious.6.2.2KindsofCharactersBytheirrolesinthenovel,thecharacterscanbegroupedasheroes,maincharactersandminorcharacters,andfoils.Bythedegreesoftheirdevelopment,characterscanbegroupedasroundcharactersandflatcharacters.ThisdivisionisproposedbyE.MForster.Aheroorheroine,oftencalledthePROTAGONIST,isthecentralcharacterwhoengagesthereader’sinterestandempathy.TheANTAGONISTisthecharacterthatstanddirectlyopposedtotheprotagonistandgivesrisetotheconflictofthestory.Mainormajorcharactersarethoseincloseanddynamicrelationwiththeheroorheroine.Closerelationdoesnotmeangoodrelation.eg.PabloinForwhomthebelltollsisconstantlyfindingtroublewiththeheroJordan.Minorcharactersarethoseinremoteandstaticrelationwiththehero.Minorcharactersarenotunimportant.Someofthemmayserveacriticalrole.Foilcharactersareonesthathelpenchancetheintensityoftheheroorheroinebystrengtheningorcontrasting.eg.WilsonintheGreatGatsbyFlatCharacters:Usuallyhaveoneortwopredominanttraits.Nogrowth,static.eg.CatherinisalwaysinfearofrainandlovesHenryimmensely.(AFarewelltoArms).RoundCharacters:Complexandmanyfaceted;havethequalitiesofrealpeople,growemotionallyorspiritually.eg.Pipcomestorealizethatwealthcannotmakeagentleman.(GreatExpectations)StockCharacters:Atypeofflatcharacter.Representativeofagrouporclass,stereotypes.eg.thesternsilentsheriff,themadscientist,theinnocentandgood-naturedrustic,thecruelstepmotherStaticCharacters:Acharacterthatremainsessentiallythesamethroughout.Precautionshouldbetakenthatcharactersinanovelnotsoneatlydividedintoroundonesandflatones.Thereisascalerunningfromthedeepandrichtotheveryshallowandsimple.Thestoryandthecharacteralonecannotmakeanovelyet.Tomakeanovel,aplotisprerequisite.6.3.1WhatisPlot?Aplotisaparticulararrangementofhappeninginanovelthatisaimedatrevealingtheircausalrelationshiporatconveyingthenovelist'sideas.e.g.Non-plot:thekingdiedandthenthequeendied.Plot:thekingdied,andthenthequeendiedofgrief.Aplotissometimescalledastoryline.小说情节小说情节即在小说作品所提供的特定艺术描写的环境中，由于人物之间的相互关系和人与环境间的矛盾冲突，而产生的一系列生活事件发生、发展、直至解决的整个过程。它通常由一组或若干组具体的生活事件组成，在一条基本情节线索的统领下包括许许多多的细节。小说故事中的矛盾冲突是形成情节的基础，也是推动情节发展的动力，冲突双方的人物性格，则直接决定了情节进展的趋向。6.3.2PhasesofaPlotClimax:theturningpoint,themostintensemoment—eithermentallyorinactionRisingAction:theseriesofconflictsandcrisisinthestorythatleadtotheclimaxDenuement:FallingAction,alloftheactionwhichfollowstheclimaxExposition:thestartofthestory,thesituationbeforetheactionstartsResolution:theconclusion,thetyingtogetherofallofthethreads6.3.3HowIsaPlotMade?Allthingsexistinthethree-dimensionalsystemoftime,space,andvalue.soinananalysisofanevent,therearefourfactorstoconsider:→thedoerandthedoing→thetime→thespace→thevalueInmakingaplot,thenovelistmanipulatesthefourfactorsofeveryoneoftheeventsinhisnovel.Nobodycanescapetimeandnobodyexperienceseveryminuteofhislifewithequalintensity.thisnaturallawalsogovernsthenovelist'splot-making,hismanipulationoffictionalevents.Thefollowingareseveralwaystomanipulatetimeinnovelwriting.Todecideatimespan.Thenovelistiscontentedtowriteaboutpartofthetimespanthehistorianrecords.atmost,hemaytrytowriteaboutafewgenerationsofafamily.hemaywanttowritethewholelifeofapersonandfinisheswithabiographyorautobiography.inmostcases,thenovelistchoosestowriteaboutaparticularperiodofaparticularperson'slife.Toomitsometimeunitsfromthetimespanalreadydecidedupon.Thenovelisthastoomitsomedays,months,oryearsfromthetimespanhehaschosentowriteabout,forsometimeunitsarelesssignificantinthemakingofplot.Todisorganizeorreorganizetime.Thenovelistcannarratetheeventsintheorderofnaturaltime,butforvariousreasons,hehastotakesomeeventoutofthetimesequenceandtellabouttheresultfirstandthentracebacktothecauses.thistechniqueiscalledflashback.Therearemanywaystodisorganizetime,butflashbackisthemostconventional.Place-manipulating:Aneventhastohappeninaparticu