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The Anatomy of Narrative: Analyzing Fiction and Creative Nonfiction

The Anatomy of Narrative: Analyzing Fiction and Creative Nonfiction

Author(s): Deborah L Hall

Edition: 2

Copyright: 2012

Pages: 222

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$104.54

ISBN 9781465202482

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The Anatomy of Narrative: Analyzing Fiction and Creative Nonfiction is an anthology wherein each narrative is followed by the author’s close analysis which focuses on shape and technique. Each analysis assists new writers in “seeing” form. Modeling exercises follow each piece while advice for writing follows each chapter in the fiction section. This book was written to teach students how to observe and “see” that which makes writing an art.

The goal of The Anatomy of Narrative is to enable students to become a better observer of the artistry in narrative, a close reader, and a reading writer. This text will help you learn how to map out the movement of a story or an essay. 

The Anatomy of Narrative: Analyzing Fiction and Creative Nonfiction:

  • Contains brief introductions to each chapter about the larger shape of the story
  • Includes narratives and the author’s analysis of each
  • Provides additional commentary on shape and an exercise on how to model the reading

 

 

Introduction

Part I An Introduction to Analyzing Fiction

CHAPTER 1: "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" by Sherman AIexie
CHAPTER 2: On Verbs
CHAPTER 3: "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
CHAPTER 4: On Dramatic Moments or Tension
CHAPTER 5: "Bullet in the Brain" by Tobias Wolff
CHAPTER 6: On Dialogue
CHAPTER 7: "A & P" by John Updike
CHAPTER 8: On Dialogue Tags
CHAPTER 9: "The Gravity Motel" by Gary White
CHAPTER 10: On Metaphors and Similes
CHAPTER 11: "Gryphon" by Charles Baxter
CHAPTER 12: On Endings
CHAPTER 13: "How We Lost Maria" by Tanya Pai
CHAPTER 14: On Summary and Specific Summary vs. Scene
CHAPTER 15: "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving
CHAPTER 16: On Punctuation: A Short Reminder of Essential Rules

Part II An Introduction to Analyzing Creative Nonfiction

CHAPTER 17: "Once More to the Lake" by E.B. White
CHAPTER 18: "Upper Peninsula Woods, 1971 September 13:00 EST" by Cynie Cory
CHAPTER 19: "The Drama Bug" by David Sedaris
CHAPTER 20: "The Oldest Daughter Visits the Scene" by D.L. Hall
CHAPTER 21: "Going to the Movies" by Susan Allen Toth
CHAPTER 22: "Life in Motion" by Nicole Lamy
CHAPTER 23: "Bringing Back the Dead" by Laura Newton
CHAPTER 24: "Living Like Weasels" by Annie Dillard
CHAPTER 25: "Red-Tailed Hawk" by Hannah 1. Bessinger
CHAPTER 26: "Waking Up in the Floodplain" by Sudye Cauthen
CHAPTER 27: "Out of Apathy" by Angela Merritt
CHAPTER 28: "Baby Steps" by Natalie Barfield

Contributor Notes

Deborah L Hall
Deborah L. Hall received a PhD in English from Florida State University in 2004. At FSU, she taught literature classes that focused on the short story genre. Influenced by Jerome Stern’s classic Making Shapely Fiction (Norton 1991), her approach to teaching literature included not only critical analyses of the work but also identifying narrative shapes in classic stories. This crossed over into her creative writing classes whereby Hall applied this technique to creative nonfiction pieces as well. She says, “Once a writer has a shape in mind, content follows easily and flows more strategically. My students’ work improved immensely when they worked within shapes.” It’s not unlike writing a sonnet where a poet finds freedom within form. Currently, Hall teaches English at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia.

The Anatomy of Narrative: Analyzing Fiction and Creative Nonfiction is an anthology wherein each narrative is followed by the author’s close analysis which focuses on shape and technique. Each analysis assists new writers in “seeing” form. Modeling exercises follow each piece while advice for writing follows each chapter in the fiction section. This book was written to teach students how to observe and “see” that which makes writing an art.

The goal of The Anatomy of Narrative is to enable students to become a better observer of the artistry in narrative, a close reader, and a reading writer. This text will help you learn how to map out the movement of a story or an essay. 

The Anatomy of Narrative: Analyzing Fiction and Creative Nonfiction:

  • Contains brief introductions to each chapter about the larger shape of the story
  • Includes narratives and the author’s analysis of each
  • Provides additional commentary on shape and an exercise on how to model the reading

 

 

Introduction

Part I An Introduction to Analyzing Fiction

CHAPTER 1: "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" by Sherman AIexie
CHAPTER 2: On Verbs
CHAPTER 3: "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
CHAPTER 4: On Dramatic Moments or Tension
CHAPTER 5: "Bullet in the Brain" by Tobias Wolff
CHAPTER 6: On Dialogue
CHAPTER 7: "A & P" by John Updike
CHAPTER 8: On Dialogue Tags
CHAPTER 9: "The Gravity Motel" by Gary White
CHAPTER 10: On Metaphors and Similes
CHAPTER 11: "Gryphon" by Charles Baxter
CHAPTER 12: On Endings
CHAPTER 13: "How We Lost Maria" by Tanya Pai
CHAPTER 14: On Summary and Specific Summary vs. Scene
CHAPTER 15: "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving
CHAPTER 16: On Punctuation: A Short Reminder of Essential Rules

Part II An Introduction to Analyzing Creative Nonfiction

CHAPTER 17: "Once More to the Lake" by E.B. White
CHAPTER 18: "Upper Peninsula Woods, 1971 September 13:00 EST" by Cynie Cory
CHAPTER 19: "The Drama Bug" by David Sedaris
CHAPTER 20: "The Oldest Daughter Visits the Scene" by D.L. Hall
CHAPTER 21: "Going to the Movies" by Susan Allen Toth
CHAPTER 22: "Life in Motion" by Nicole Lamy
CHAPTER 23: "Bringing Back the Dead" by Laura Newton
CHAPTER 24: "Living Like Weasels" by Annie Dillard
CHAPTER 25: "Red-Tailed Hawk" by Hannah 1. Bessinger
CHAPTER 26: "Waking Up in the Floodplain" by Sudye Cauthen
CHAPTER 27: "Out of Apathy" by Angela Merritt
CHAPTER 28: "Baby Steps" by Natalie Barfield

Contributor Notes

Deborah L Hall
Deborah L Hall
Deborah L. Hall received a PhD in English from Florida State University in 2004. At FSU, she taught literature classes that focused on the short story genre. Influenced by Jerome Stern’s classic Making Shapely Fiction (Norton 1991), her approach to teaching literature included not only critical analyses of the work but also identifying narrative shapes in classic stories. This crossed over into her creative writing classes whereby Hall applied this technique to creative nonfiction pieces as well. She says, “Once a writer has a shape in mind, content follows easily and flows more strategically. My students’ work improved immensely when they worked within shapes.” It’s not unlike writing a sonnet where a poet finds freedom within form. Currently, Hall teaches English at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia.