Sunday, September 30, 2007

Narrative

In Scene 78 of The Storyteller, Pierre confesses to Michel that he has been barking up the wrong tree in his approach to narrative.
...

Pierre: I was trying to tell the story using only conversation. No names. No description.

Michel: And could you?

Pierre: I could not.

Michel: What was the problem?

Pierre: Names signify something. Do you know just today I found that Wanda means to wander in Wendish. And people have personalities. They are in a location. Timing is important.

Michel: You are learning. That’s context.

Pierre: I thought snatches of believable speech would be enough to build the story and run up to a climax.

Michel: A story is not just a tale told through dialogue. Walter Fisher’s narrative paradigm includes a lot more. You need characters, plot, motivation, action.

Pierre: Plot.

Michel: As E.M. Forster put it. The king died and then the queen died. That’s a story. But when you say the king died and then the queen died of grief, that’s a plot.

Pierre: However unlikely.

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2 Comments:

At October 1, 2007 at 10:40 PM , Blogger Zen said...

A story is not just a tale told thru dialogue? You need characters, plot, motivation, action? But those four things can be expressed through dialogue solely.

I forgot to do the script writing thing I said I would over the weekend. I'm in assignment hell now.

 
At October 2, 2007 at 12:01 AM , Blogger Barry Natusch said...

Thanks for taking the time to say that. Deepest sympathies on your present location. Safe journey back from across the Styx.

 

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