Prose Fiction

Chapter 1: Introduction

by Ignasi Ribó

Summary presentation by David Gerber

What Is Narrative?

  • A semiotic representation of a sequence of events
  • Events are connected by time and cause
  • Mediums can be oral, written, visual, etc.
Collision of Costa Concordia
Fig. 1.1 – An image like this implies a story: what happened? why?

Genres of Narrative

  • Myths, legends, epics, novels, short stories, fables
  • Genres evolve with culture, media, and time
  • Each genre has conventions that guide expectations
El Ateneo Bookshop
Fig. 1.2 – Bookshops reflect our ongoing connection to prose fiction

What is Prose Fiction?

  • Includes novels and short stories
  • Written in prose (not verse)
  • Primarily a product of modern Western culture
  • Focuses on individual characters, inner lives, realism

Story vs. Discourse

Story: What is told — events, characters, setting

Discourse: How it is told — structure, language, POV

  • Same story → different discourses = different narratives
  • Essential for literary analysis
Semiotic model
Fig. 1.5 – Semiotic model of narrative structure
Semiotic model
Fig. 1.5 – Semiotic model of narrative structure

Real vs. Implied Author/Reader

  • Real author: actual person who wrote the work
  • Implied author: constructed by the text’s tone, style
  • Implied reader: ideal reader envisioned by the text
  • Real reader: the person actually reading the work

Beyond Literature

  • Comics, films, games, oral stories = valid narrative forms
  • Transmedia storytelling: narratives across multiple platforms
  • Still rely on narrative building blocks: story/discourse
Harry Potter Set
Fig. 1.8 – Cross-media storytelling: The Wizarding World

The Evolution of Media

  • From oral epics → manuscript → printed novel → digital fiction
  • Each form reshapes how stories are told and experienced
  • Interactivity and immersion (e.g. video games) are new frontiers

Summary

  • Narrative is everywhere: it shapes how we understand the world
  • Prose fiction is a literary form with deep cultural roots
  • Understanding story vs. discourse is crucial
  • Authors and readers operate on both real and implied levels

Next Chapter: Plot and Causality