Narrative Stylistics

  Narrative stylistics is a significant development in modern stylistics, focusing on the intricate analysis and description of narrative fiction. This trend reflects a shift in the major focus of stylistics on literary texts over time. Narrative stylistics seeks to match styles of language to an interconnected series of situations, aiming to provide more intricate models of interpretations, analysis, and explanation of “narrative fiction”. For Simpson (2004, P. 18), narrative discourse tends to suggest some sort of recapitulating experience. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of the stylistic elements at play in narrative texts, enhancing the appreciation and analysis of literary works. The world is filled with countless narratives. Narrative can be found in various forms such as myth, legend, fable, novella, and more. It extends beyond verbal storytelling to include non-verbal expressions like paintings and cinema.

   Narratives are universal and have been present throughout history and across different cultures. They encompass both real and fictional stories, making them an integral part of human existence. “Narratology” refers to the theory of narrative structure, and it has gained prominence in modern narrative theory since the 1960s. Tzvetan Todorov coin the term in 1969 to designate a systematic study of narrative structure rooted in the intellectual traditions of Russian and Czech formalism from the early 20th century, as well as French structuralism and semiotics from the 1960s. Narratology has become a highly influential current of modern narrative theory, flourishing in France, North America, and Holland. There are numerous specialized studies in various languages on different aspects of narrative structure, written from diverse theoretical perspectives within the field of narratology itself.    Ghazala’s perspective on narrative stylistics underscores the importance of understanding the relationship between structure and comprehension in narrative analysis. He highlights the distinction between plot and narrative discourse, emphasizing that the plot represents the sequence of events in a narrative, while narrative discourse refers to the manner in which the plot is conveyed. This distinction is further elucidated through the use of ‘stylistic devices’ such as ‘flashback’, ‘prevision’, and ‘repetition,’ which serve to disturb the linear chronology of the plot. Ghazala’s framework suggests that narrative discourse is the concrete manifestation of language spoken by a storyteller within a specific interactive context, underscoring the significance of stylistic elements in shaping the narrative experience (Ghazala, 2011, p. 24). Ghazala refers to the processes of “coding and decoding” or “writing and reading,” indicating that a story requires both a teller and an audience for it to be fully realized as a narrative. Furthermore, the act of storytelling involves transforming a series of events into a coherent narrative, and this process is essential for the story to have meaning and significance.