Narrative issues
Had a meeting at CSM to look at the narrative theory the students are being taught this year. Interesting discussion on various 'tenets' of narrative derived from readings in literary theory.
Personally, I found them a little prescriptive. For example:
'Narrative must be in the past'
This relates to the idea of someone telling the story - which must, in some sense, have already happened for someone to tell it.
However, it is surely not an absolute. An interactive story telling might well not be in the past in this sense, the story might emerge. Obviously Science Fiction in based in the future, but normally written as if in the future of the future.
'Narrative must be a journey'
'Narrative must have a crisis, followed by a resolution.''
'Narrative must have a narrator'
I would say not must but 'often' or 'normally' or even 'should be' but I think in narrative there is absolutely no must - I think the ways of story-telling are infinite.
Personally, I found them a little prescriptive. For example:
'Narrative must be in the past'
This relates to the idea of someone telling the story - which must, in some sense, have already happened for someone to tell it.
However, it is surely not an absolute. An interactive story telling might well not be in the past in this sense, the story might emerge. Obviously Science Fiction in based in the future, but normally written as if in the future of the future.
'Narrative must be a journey'
'Narrative must have a crisis, followed by a resolution.''
'Narrative must have a narrator'
I would say not must but 'often' or 'normally' or even 'should be' but I think in narrative there is absolutely no must - I think the ways of story-telling are infinite.
Comments