Narratology Summary and Analysis

Narratology is a study of narrative structures that combines characteristics and is derived from structuralism and linguistic theory. Narratology studies how narratives, or stories, make meaning. Basic mechanisms and procedures common to all story-telling is the subject of narratology. The story is an actual series of events that happen whereas the plot is those same events after being edited, packaged and presented as a narrative. The plot is in the order a narrator uses to bring about the effect his version warrants. Barry uses "discourse" rather than "plot" to incorporate style, pace and viewpoint packaged to cause the desired effect. Equivalent terms are used by Gerard Genette and other authors.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle identifies three elements in a plot including fault or character-defect, recognition and reversal that are all incumbent on the hero or heroine. Barry's cartoon on page 225 illustrates...