Narrative structure is a literary element generally described as the structural framework that underlies the order and manner in which a

narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, whether nonfictional ( memoir, biography, news report, documentary, travelogue, etc.) or fictional (fairy tale, fable, legend, thriller Thriller may r ...

is presented to a reader, listener, or viewer. The narrative text structures are the

plot Plot or Plotting may refer to: Art, media and entertainment * Plot (narrative), the story of a piece of fiction Music * ''The Plot'' (album), a 1976 album by jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava * The Plot (band), a band formed in 2003 Other * ''Plot ...

and the

setting Setting may refer to: * A location (geography) where something is set * Set construction in theatrical scenery * Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction * Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to ...

Definition

Narrative structure is about story and plot: the content of a story and the form used to tell the story. Story refers to the dramatic action as it might be described in chronological order. Plot refers to how the story is told. Story is about trying to determine the key conflicts, main characters, setting and events. Plot is about how, and at what stages, the key conflicts are set up and resolved.

Variations

Three-act structure

The three-act structure is a common structure in classical film and other narrative forms in or associated with the West. The first act begins with setup, where all of the main characters and their basic situations are introduced, as well as the setting, and contains the primary level of characterization for both (exploring the character's backgrounds and personalities, the relationships between them, and the dynamics of the world they live in). Later in the first act, a dynamic event occurs known as the inciting incident (or

catalyst Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...

), that involves the

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

. His or her initial attempts to deal with this event lead to the first plot point, wh