Handouts for Formalism Approach in Narrative Elements

FORMALISM in Narrative Elements

● Formalism Approach examines a text by its “organic form” - its its setting, theme,
scene, narrative, image and symbol. It excludes any external elements or outside
information as it aims only to analyze merely the text itself

● Narrative Elements help the reader to better analyze narratives and there are
seven main elements which are widely used in understanding a certain prose such
as flash fiction.

SEVEN NARRATIVE ELEMENTS:

1. Theme - It is the overarching idea that the writer of the story wants the reader
to understand. For example, in Shakespeare’s Othello, one of the major
themes is how easily human perception can be manipulated when power-
ful emotions are at play.
> What is the writer trying to say about this subject?
> What literary tools does the writer use create this theme?

2. Plot - It is the structure of the narrative as it moves through time. Most

narratives follow this traditional structure:
Climax
a. Exposition - introduction of settings and characters
b. Rising Action - events that builds conflict for the
protagonist. Exposition Denouement

c. Climax - tension of conflict reaches highest; most intense

point.
d. Falling Action - the events following the climax (intensity being lowered.)
e. Denouement - the resolution of the conflict.

> What is the relationship between the events of the story?

Handouts for Formalism Approach in Narrative Elements

3. Characters - Characters are the people involved in the narrative. The process
by which a writer creates a character is called characterization. The hero is
or the main character in the story is called protagonist and the one opposes
protagonist is called antagonist.

> How do characters grow or transform throughout the story?

4. Conflict - Conflict refers to the issue or problem characters in a story are

confronted by. The narrative is structured around how the characters face
the conflict. General types are:
a. person vs. person c. person vs. nature

b. person vs. self d. person vs. society

> How does the conflict affect the main characters in the story?

5. Setting - This element can refer to a time and place the story is set in. The
location can either work symbolically or it can simply be a backdrop for
the story to take place in.
> How does the setting affect how the characters respond to conflict?

6. Point of View - Refers to the perspective the story is told from. This element
includes first-person, third-person, and third-person omniscient narrators.
a. First-person - Uses “I” or “we”; the readers, as if from their own eyes, can
envision the characters actions.
b. Third-person - Tells the story from an outside perspective from the
perspective of one of the characters (usually the protagonist). The
third-person limited narrator can relate events, thoughts, actions, but is
limited to that single character. Uses “he”, “she” or “they.”
Handouts for Formalism Approach in Narrative Elements

c. Third-person omniscient narrators - This narrator knows all of the in

formation of the story and can relate the events of the story, the actions and
speech of each as well as the interior thoughts of any character.

> Does the narrator reflect an inner or an outer perspective on the story?

7. Style - This element refers to the way the writer uses language including
diction, voice, tone, sentence style, etc

> Is the diction hard or simple to understand?

> Are the sentences short or complex?

Sources:

https://formalisticapproach.weebly.com/introduction-to-formalistic-approach.html

https://lewisu.edu/writingcenter/pdf/narrative-elements-1.pdf