Narrative Structure and Characterisation The Lovely Bones

Learning Objectives Explore concepts and reasoning around narrative structure Analyse how characters are created in fiction.

Narrative Structure Read the “Key Terms” on page 112 of the course book. Who is the real author of The Lovely Bones? Who is the implied author?

Narrative perspective The author creates a particular point of view for the reader through the narrative voice. Suspended quotations interrupt character’s direct speech to give the narrator’s interpretation. This guides the reader and helps to maintain a particular point of view.

Narrative Structure Is the narrative in chronological order? Where has the author used analepsis or prolepsis, and why?

Beginnings and Endings Beginnings and endings are crucial points in narrative structure. How does the beginning of The Lovely Bones contribute to the reader’s understanding as the novel progresses? What is most striking/interesting in how Sebold has chosen to end the novel?

Characterisation Read the “Key Terms” on page 118 of the course book. Complete Activity 13, page 119-120

Character Types Main and additional characters E.M. Forster identified flat (superficial) and round (three dimensional) characters. Vladimir Prop classified characters by their function in the story. He identified seven character types. Can you guess them Algirda Julien Greimas classified them according to six roles. What roles do you think characters fulfil

Character Types Look at the tables on page 120 for more detail. Do characters in The Lovely Bones fit these models? Complete Activity 14 and read 16.3.3

Characterisation Through Speech How characters speak builds a sense of who they are. Register and word choice show differences between children and adults and better educated or less well educated characters. It can also show where they are from with colloquial language. Idiosyncratic speech patterns: politeness strategies, personal discourse markers, non fluency features... Adverbs describing how characters speak can also reveal character traits. What does Text 16I on page 123 reveal about Mr. Harvey?

Character Focus Free direct speech (dropping the authorial framing of character’s speech) adds more character focus. Look at Text 16K on page 124 for an example.

Characterisation Through Body Language Kinesics: movement Haptics: touching Proxemics: moving toward or away from someone See page 126 of the course book. What other examples can you find in The Lovely Bones?

Can you remember? What is “analepsis” and its opposite? What are kinesics, haptics and proxemics? What is an implied author? What is free direct speech? What is narrative structure? How do writers create characters?