The Structure
of a
Literary Work
(p.167)
What is Structure?
• framework of a work of literature
• the organization or over-all design of a work.
• derive from the conventions of a certain form
(Example: Five-act format of an Elizabethan
tragedy or the Octave/Sestet division of an
Italian Sonnet.)
•Evolve as an individual work takes shape,
creating what the critic and poet Samuel Taylor
Coleridge called “organic form.”
(Example: meditative lyric “Frost at Midnight” is
ordered partly by its Blank Verse form, the
steady beat of the Unrhymed Iambic pentameter
lines)
Two major purposes
of a literary work:
• to make the parts interdependent and
give the whole unity
In Medias Res
Techniques
in
Creating
Structure:
Narrative Pace
Parenthetical
Observation
Shift in Style
1. In Medias Res (in MAY-dee-ass rayss,
Latin for, “in the middle of things”)
- begin a narration not in chronological order,
with the first event in the plot, but at some
later point.
*In an in medias res narrative, the story opens
with dramatic action rather than exposition
setting up the characters and situation.
In Medias Res
Usual narrative vs. In Medias Res
The Raven
Once upon a midnight dreary,
while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious
volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping,
suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping,
rapping at my chamber door--
The Canonization
“For God’s sake hold your
tongue, and let me love.”
In Medias Res
Disadvantage:
Advantage:
Immediacy and surprise
obligation to go back in the
story and fill in the essential
background information—
the exposition.
In Medias Res
Means of providing the exposition:
• flashback: the dramatization of scenes set in an
earlier story
• use of a narrator or a character to summarize
the necessary background information
• means of showing (gossip, spat, presence of
messengers, reminiscences, etc.)
2. Narrative Pace
- speeding up or slowing down of some parts
and omitting others altogether.
- narrative passages that contain a great deal
of detail feel slower than other parts of the
story, while little dialogue and short
transitions determine fast action and rapid
sequencing.
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre
Hitherto I have recorded in detail the events of
my insignificant existence: to the first ten years of my
life, I have given almost as many chapters. But this is
not to be a regular autobiography: I am only bound to
invoke memory where I know her responses will
possess some degree of interest; therefore I now pass a
space of eight years almost in silence: a few lines only
are necessary to keep up the links of connection.
Narrative Pace
Leo Tolstoy’s “The Death of Ivan Ilych”
begins in medias res with the funeral of the title
character; continues at an efficient pace with flashback
on how he spent his life, and suddenly slows down once
the story arrives at the accident that will lead to his
death. The passage of time slows down, so the reader
experiences in great detail Ivan’s increasing physical
pain and emotional anguish.
3. Parenthetical Observation
- a brief interruption during which the
character or the narrator reflects on a minor
point that seizes his attention.
- the author changes the initial structure to
move in a new direction.
Parenthetical Observation
In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
The self-important courtier Polonius uses the technique for
several reasons:
-
to critique his own oratorical style
That he is mad, ‘tis true; ‘tis true ‘tis pity, and pity ‘tis ‘tis true—a foolish figure, But
farewell it, for I will use no art.
-
to denigrate Hamlet’s love letters to his daughter
‘To the celestial and my soul’s idol, the most beautified Ophelia’—that’s an ill phrase, a
vile phrase, ‘beautified’ is a vile phrase. But you shall hear—
-
to qualify a point to a nicety
“I have a daughter—have while she is mine–.”
*The effect of these parenthetical comments is to suggest that Polonius is relishing
this chance to make the most of his moment in the spotlight.
4. Subplot
- secondary or tertiary, plot to the main thrust of the
novel.
- Your subplots must connect or relate with the main
story.
- to lend support and substance to your main plot.
- To maintain the reader’s interest.
Note: Because of their brevity, short stories and to a
large extent, novellas, usually contain no subplot.
Subplot
When do you use a subplot?
It all depends on your story. Most subplots appear
quite early novels, as new characters and situations
unfold.
Ideally – although not always –subplots should
create conflict with your main character to add
greater depth to the overall story.
Harper Lee’s
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’
Main Plot: Atticus Finch, a widow and the
father of young Scout and Jem, agrees to
defend Tom Robinson, a black man who is on
trial for raping a white woman. The setting is
1930′s Alabama in a town simmering with
prejudice and racial tension. It is set against
a backdrop of prejudice and racism.
Subplots
Subplot#1: The children have a neighbor who has a
mysterious past. They name him “Boo” Radley and are both
intrigued and scared by him, though they’ve never seen
him. It is their goal to conquer their fears and see Boo face
to face. Throughout the novel we see that Boo is trying to
become their friend. He ends up saving their lives.
Subplot#2: The Ewell family lives in deep poverty, and
Bob Ewell despises Atticus for agreeing to defend Tom. The
woman who claims she was raped by Tom is Bob Ewell’s
daughter. Tom is found guilty, even though evidence
shows he is not, and Bob devotes his life to troubling
Atticus and his family.
Subplots
Subplot #3: Scout feels she must defend her father after
the town questions his defense of a black man. She fights
with schoolmates when they call her father ugly names.
Both she and her brother see Atticus as weak and
uninteresting, but she is given many opportunities to
witness his strong character, which eventually changes her
mind about him.
Subplot#4: Despite the truth of Tom Robinson’s innocence
and Atticus demonstrating that Mayella Ewell, the supposed
victim, and her father Bob Ewell, the local drunk, were lying
about the whole thing, the court convicts him. Robinson is
driven to try to escape, but is shot and killed. Ewell plagues
the Robinson family. There is tension between him and
Atticus.
Subplot
How do you add subplots to the story?
It really depends on how you write, your style, but the
best way is to change the viewpoint your characters
by alternating your scenes or chapters that can add
suspense and tension.
Different character viewpoints will allow you to
explore different connected storylines, until
eventually they all connect in the final chapter-- a
good way of introducing secondary characters.
Subplot
Summary:
• Subplots must connect to • Subplots should reveal
the main story (plot).
information about the main
• Subplots must happen for story, the situation or
characters, which readers
a reason and make sense
should become privy.
together with the main
story.
•Subplots should keep your
• Subplots should move the reader interested.
story forward. They should •Subplots must always be
enrich, support and deepen resolved.
the overall story.
5. Shift in Style
Prose narratives may shift from their
established style and tone.
 Rather than ignore or dismiss such
inconsistencies in style and shifts in structure,
readers should attend to them closely, as
potential keys to revelations about meaning
and tone.
Shift in Style
Richard Wright’s Black Boy
The narrative sometimes departs abruptly from the usual
structure. Wright stops the narrative flow to introduce a
randomly ordered list of sense impressions that make an
impact on the young boy’s feelings, and then he shifts to
list the superstitions that he believed in as a boy.
This is followed by the adult narrator’s comments on the
fervor of his childish belief.
Dumaual, Kristine Abigail
Lajara, Hannah Beatriz
Rañola, Patricia Bianca
References:
• http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/m
elani/lit_term.html
• http://allwritefictionadvice.blogspot.com/201
1/01/subplots.html
• http://www.darlawrites.com/writing-termsub-plot/