List of narrative forms

Narrative forms have been subject to classification by literary theorists, in particular during the 1950s, a period which has been described metaphorically as the Linnaean period in the study of narrative.

Narrative forms include:

This literature-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Captivity narrative — the protagonist is captured and describes his experience with the other culture
• Epic poem – a lengthy story of heroic exploits in the form of a poem
• Fable – a story that teaches a lesson, often using animal characters that behave like people
• Fantasy – a story about characters that may not be realistic and about events that could not really happen
• Folk tale – an old story that reveals the customs of a culture
• Historical fiction – stories about characters who might have lived in the past and about events that might have really happened in history, with some made up details and events
• Legend – a story that is based on fact but often includes exaggerations about the hero
• Myth – an ancient story often meant to explain the mysteries of life or nature
• Play – a story that is told mostly through dialogue and is meant to be performed on stage
• Quest narrative — the characters must achieve a goal. This includes some illness narratives
• Realistic fiction – stories that portray characters and settings that could exist in real life, as well as events that could happen in real life
• Slave narrative
• Short story – a brief story that usually focuses on one character and one event
• Tall tale – a humorous story that tells about impossible happenings, exaggerating the accomplishment of the hero
• News - an information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience
• Biography - a detailed description or account of someone's life

See also

• Bibliography - a .....
• Literary device
• Narrative mode

References

• Peterson, Shelley (2005). "Writing Across the Curriculum: Because All Teachers Teach Writing". Portage & Main Press,. p. 88. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 

Citations

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.