The document discusses the concepts of time and space in films and novels. It explains that films represent time through temporal relations shown on screen and can modify time in nonlinear ways, while novels represent time through the linear progression of language and events. Key differences are that films use visual space while novels rely on temporal representation, and films have more control over duration while novels vary in reading time.

1. Time & Space: In Films
& Novels
Prepared by:
Dr. Richa Srishti
Assistant Professor
Department of English
School of Humanities & Social Science

2. Contents
Concept of Time & Space
Division of Time & Space in Films and Novels
Representation of Time & Space in Films and Novels

3. Concept
Definition-wise ‘Time’ is an ongoing progress of
events and their sequential relation.
It is perceived as past-present-future.
Though this division is more or less universal, we
have an example of Hopi people in Northeast
Arizona, who divide time in future-non future.

4. Concept
Two essential features of time are “Continuation”
and “Direction.”
Time continuously moves forward without any
break.
The moment gone cannot be retrieved.

5. Concept
According to Bergson, time is similar to memory
as both are “forever growing and pregnant.”
To experience time in its entirety, one needs to
know the location and the duration.
To understand time we also require the concept
of ‘before and after.’

6. Concept
A related concept is ‘Space’ which is defined as
the infinite three-dimensional extent where the
objects as well as the events are relatively
positioned.
Time can not be separated from space as they are
intimately connected.

7. Time & Films
According to Gregory Currie, “films represent time
by means of time.”
Films represent temporal relations of the events
“earlier than, later than, and simultaneous with
others.”
As our experience of time is dependent on division
of time into past-present-future, any modification in
this division tweaks with our temporal experience.

8. Time & Films
Films provide illusion of time by going from one point to
another in space.
Time acquires a dual nature in films: Screen Time and
Action Time/Real Time.
Screen Time: The order and duration of the image on
screen.
Action/Real Time: The exact chronological order of the
events in the narrative. (It only exists in individual shots
and not in the entire film scene!)

9. Time & Films
Unlike in reality, in films the time need not be
linear, i.e. the events can be in any order.
Both time & space can be modified in any way in
films.
According to George Bluestone, films have one
one tense unlike novels.

10. Time & Films
To understand that we need to grasp the
difference between ‘Chronological Time’ and
Psychological Time.’
Chronological time is the real time, while
psychological time is an individual’s perception.
In other words, chronological time is objective
whereas psychological time is subjective.

11. Time & Films
Films represent time in the following ways:
Anachrony, Ellipsis and Slow and Fast Motion.
Anachrony: Representation of events in a different
temporal order. E.g. Flashbacks and flashforwards,
Ellipsis: Skipping a period of time without anything
happening during that time.
Slow and fast motion: Time appears to move slower
or faster than normal.

12. Time & Films
In a film “The spoken word is subsumed in the
spatial image in the film.”
The time a viewer spends in watching the images is
controlled in a film, similar to performative arts.
The camera acts as the narrator in films and the
viewer is only concerned with the duration of
viewing and the time-span of narrative events.
Hence, our sense of the present is primary in a film.

13. Time & Films
That any film is shot entirely in real time is rare.
Some of the real time movies are: Run Lola Run,
Before Sunset, Rope, Russian Ark,Twelve Angry Men.
Movie makers try different techniques to either
compress or expand time according to their plot.
For example, cut, transition, montage, time lapse
etc.

14. Space & Films
As Bluestone has stated, “The formative principle in films is space.”
While watching a film, we experience a visual space where events
occur.
This visual space is divided into Screen Space and Action Space.
Screen Space is defined as two dimensional surface of the screen.
Action Space is defined as three dimensional space where
characters exist.

15. Time & Space in Novels
According to George Bluestone, a novel has three tenses
and time itself is the formative principle in a novel.
In a novel, language moves ‘forward in linear form of
expression.’ (Mendilow in Time and the Novel).
That is why, in novels the narrative is always temporal and
we can not separate the narrative representation of space
and its temporal representation.
As Bluestone states it, “In the novel the line of dialogue
stands naked and alone.”

16. Time & Space in Novels
Time can be divided into three ways in a novel:
the time duration of the novel, the time a reader
takes to read the novel and the time devoted to
the narrative events in the novel.
The writer has a perpetual challenge to reach the
present and at the same time he needs to finish
the sequence of events.

17. Time & Space in Novels
Elapsed fictional time in a novel is independent
of elapsed reading time.
A writer can not control the reading time of a
reader in any way.
A novel provides illusion of space by going from
point to point in time.

18. Time & Space in Novels
The chronological time an individual takes to read a
novel can vary.
The psychological time too varies but it also depends
on how long is the narrative event in the novel.
The compression and distention of time can also be
done in the novels through ellipsis (events without
narrative), flashbacks, flashforwards, multiple
timelines, etc.

19. Links for video essays
Time Manipulation in Some Classics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49NL8FKnliQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIheOFo9Ick

20. References
Bluestone, George. “Time in Film and Fiction.” The Journal of
Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 9 (3), 1961, pp. 311-315.
Gomel, E. Narrative Space andTime. Routledge. 2014.
Yafee, Gideon. ‘Time in the Movies.” Midwest Studies in Philosophy,
XXVII, 2003.
http://userhome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/anthro/jbeatty/COURSES/
glossary.htm
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/
10603/74792/13/13_chep5.pdf