NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE AND DIALOGUE IN SHORT STORY.

 SHORT STORY (NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE AND DIALOGUE).

 

NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE.

The Narrative Technique is the writer's method of selecting who tells the story to whom. A unique point of view is essential because it affects how the reader interprets people, events, and other important aspects. There are three types of Narrative technique, First person, second person and third person.

First-person point of view

We frequently use the first person to talk about ourselves, our ideas, and what happens to us. The most obvious indication that a phrase is written in the first person is the use of first-person pronouns.  We, us, our, and ourselves are examples of first-person pronouns. They are singular first-person plural pronouns. Singular first-person pronouns include I, me, my, mine, and myself.

Example : I think I lost my wallet! I can’t find it anywhere!

Example : When I fall asleep, I can still see the sunlight on the waves.

Second-person point of view

The pronoun 'you' is used in second-person narrative. The reader is introduced as the protagonist or primary character in this point of view. It is the most challenging point of view to maintain during the course of some longer creative writing work.  Just keep in mind that it's the most difficult and rarely used point of view in fiction.

Third-person point of view

In third-person point of view, the narrator has the ability to know everything. You’ll see the pronouns he/his, she/her, they/them/their, and it/its in third-person point of view. This point of view allows for the greatest flexibility and also creates the most complexity.

 

There are three ways to write in the third person: 

Third-person omniscient: The narrator speaks freely about everyone and everything. There are no limits to the time, space, or character the narrator can access.

Third-person limited omniscient : The author writes in third person but keeps the thoughts and feelings limited to one central character. The Harry Potter series is an example of third-person limited omniscient. The reader has access to scenes across time and space, but they are only ever in the head of Harry himself. 

Third-person objective: The narrator is a neutral entity, relying on observations of characters rather than getting in their heads. Ernest Hemingway was a master of third-person objective. Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants” is the most popular example of this rare style in fiction.

 

DIALOGUE.

 

Dialogue is the written words of what character’s say. It allows the writer to move the story forward to its ending. It allows the writer to develop the character— personality, views, opinions, thoughts, impressions. It allows the writer to dramatize the story—to show readers what is happening, not tell them.

Some additional key details about dialogue:

Dialogue is defined in contrast to monologue, when only one person is speaking.

Dialogue is often critical for moving the plot of a story forward, and can be a great way of conveying key information about characters and the plot.

Dialogue is also a specific and ancient genre of writing, which often takes the form of a philosophical investigation carried out by two people in conversation. This entry, however, deals with dialogue as a narrative element, not as a genre.

 Example of Dialogue.

Alice: "Hey, do you want to grab coffee later?" 

Bob: "Sure! What time were you thinking?" 

Alice: "How about 3 PM? There's a new café that just opened up."