Narrative Basics
What is voice in a story?
The personality or style of the narrator.
What does dialogue show about characters?
Their personality, relationships, and conflicts.
Identify the device:
“The wind howled through the broken windows.”
Imagery.
Why do authors use more than one narrative device?
To make stories more engaging and meaningful.
Rewrite in third-person omniscient:
“I opened the door slowly.”
Example: “She opened the door slowly, not knowing about the injured dog hiding in the corner of the room.”
What does POV stand for? And what are the three main types?
Point of View. 1st person, 3rd person limited, 3rd person omniscient.
What does imagery help create in a story?
Mood and tone. It makes the reader feel like they're actually there.
Identify the POV:
“I walked into the room and froze.”
First-person POV.
Why might an author not tell a story in chronological order?
To create suspense, mystery, or emotional impact. Moving events around can change when the reader feels these effects.
Give one sentence using imagery.
Example: “The icy wind cut through my jacket. The rain poured down, making my hands as cold as ice."
What is imagery?
Descriptive language like things you can see, hear, smell, taste or touch.
Why do authors use foreshadowing?
To create suspense and prepare the reader for future events. When foreshadowing pays off later in the story it is very satisfying.
Identify the device:
“Don’t go into the forest,” she warned.
Foreshadowing (dialogue hint).
What is the difference between foreshadowing and flashback? How are they similar?
Foreshadowing hints at the future. Flashback shows events from the past. Both change the structure of a story.
Write one sentence that includes foreshadowing.
Example: “He glanced nervously at the cracked bridge.”
What is foreshadowing?
A hint or clue about future events in a story.
How does POV affect what the reader understands?
It limits or controls what information the reader receives.
Identify the device:
“When I was ten, I was in my childhood home and my father told me never to return.”
Flashback.
How do dialogue and imagery work together to build tension?
Dialogue can show conflict while imagery creates mood, increasing suspense.
Write one line of dialogue that shows conflict.
Example: “You promised that you wouldn’t tell anyone!”
What is the difference between chronological order and narrative order?
Chronological order is the order events actually happen. Narrative order is the order the author presents them.
How does an unreliable narrator affect the reader?
It creates doubt and tension. It forces the reader to question the truth.
Identify TWO devices:
“The door opened, creaking loudly on its hinges. ‘Did you hear that?’ he whispered, gripping my arm.”
Imagery + Dialogue.
How can narrative structure (order of events) change the meaning of a story?
It controls what the reader knows and when, shaping their ideas about the story and emotional impact.
Describe a short story idea that uses BOTH a flashback and foreshadowing.
Example: "I could still remember the moment my older sister explained to me about broken hearts. I was 6 years old sitting on the couch in my pajamas and thinking, 'this will never happen to me'".