小说的文学术语

The Elements of a Story: （文学术语）

1.Plot:

The plot is the series of events as the author presents and connects them in the

text. The author can narrate these in chronological order from beginning to

middle to end in which case we say that the story is told in a linear way. But events can also be narrated in a non-linear way, using flashbacks, anticipations and digressions, depending on the effect the writer is trying to

create in the reader’s mind.

2.Narrator:

3.Characters

By characters we mean the fictitious people involved in the narration. In a novel or short story, characters can be presented either directly by the narrator, who may give us details about their physical appearance, social status,

personality and so on, or indirectly, through descriptions of their behavior and through their dialogue.

4.Setting

By setting we mean the place(s) and time period(s) in which the story takes place. The choice and description of the setting can contribute greatly to the

story’s meaning.

5.Theme

By themes we generally mean the abstract ideas that the story tries to explore. Novels usually have more than one theme and it often happens that

new themes emerge in subsequent interpretations. The themes discovered in a

novel, in fact, reflect the implicit message that the author wished to convey.

6.Style

This refers to many things: the type of language used to tell the story

(mater-of-fact, sophisticated, ornate, technical), the rhythm of the sentences, the tone of voice of the narrator (detached, lyrical, ironic etc). All of these

contribute to both the meaning of the story and to the emotional effect it has

on us.

7.Effect

The way the story is written plays a large part in the final effect it has on the

reader. The writer may wish to surprise the reader, which he can do by

keeping back vital information until the end or by introducing a bizarre turn of events. On the other hand, he may wish to amuse the reader with a playful

or ironic style.Another effect common in many modern short stories is

one of leaving readers with a sense of perplexity or anxiety as if the real meaning of the story cannot be found.

II.The narrator:

The narrator in a novel or short story is the person, or voice, who tells the

story and provides the perspective or point of view from which the story is told. The narrator may be a character in the story, or else may be a voice from

outside the story, like that of a traditional storyteller or a simple observer.

A story is normally narrated in either the first or third person.