The gap between story and discourse is where the artistry of fiction lives. For example, in a mystery novel:
The novel begins with the body, hides the murder event itself until the end, and follows the detective’s limited perspective to keep the reader in suspense. Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fic...
While the "story" is a linear chain of cause and effect, the "discourse" manipulates that chain to create meaning or tension: A story is chronological ( ). Discourse can be non-linear ( The gap between story and discourse is where
The "what." This is the raw material—the chronological sequence of events, the characters, and the setting. It is the abstract content that exists independently of how it is told. Discourse can be non-linear ( The "what
into specific theorists (like Genette or Barthes) Practical examples from a specific book or film Writing techniques to manipulate discourse in your own work
This covers "who sees" (perspective/focalization) versus "who speaks" (the narrator). 3. Why It Matters
The "how." This is the stylistic representation of the story. It involves the narrator’s voice, the order of events (flashbacks/flash-forwards), the pacing, and the point of view. 2. Key Elements of Discourse