The document discusses the narrative structure of the children's story "The Dog and the Shadow." It explains that the story uses a linear narrative structure to keep the plot simple. While there is a defined beginning and end, some elements are left open-ended to spark children's imaginations. Scenes depicting supernatural elements are intended to represent a child's fears and imagination rather than being literally anti-realistic. The core story follows a basic opening, conflict and resolution structure but manipulates time and space to focus impact.

1. George Boatfield, Creative Media Production
Narrative Structure Evaluation
Although a non-linear narrative can produce effective results when a complex
plot is desired, a linear structure can suit stories better, especially when the
story in question has been prepared for children. Considering this, I decided to
keep ‘The Dog and the Shadow’ as a linear story rather than alter the structure or
choose a different story. Indeed, one of the reasons for choosing ‘The Dog and the
Shadow’ for my book was due to the general simplicity of the plot, but also
because it had potential to convey a complex general meaning that can be
uncovered over time as familiarity of the story develops.
The plot begins with finding the dog (add quote) in the market place
searching for food, and ends with him returning home (add quote). While these
may be the defined start and end points for the linear structure of the narrative,
the overarching story may not explicitly end there. This is where the uncertainty
comes in when discussing open and closed narratives; the book itself has a story
that it finishes, but the abstract nature of the dog transforming into the boy on
the final page shows that there is still opportunity for other stories to be told. As
this is a children’s book, this sense of an end to the plotline while still showing
the possibility for more stories has the potential to give the child a much broader
view of the story and expand their imaginative thoughts about it. In turn, though
not directly related to narrative, this could also provide an opportunity for an
entire series of books/other spin-offs to the story.
While the possibility of an open narrative may entertain the child and
lead them to more complex thoughts once the book has been read, it is still
important to keep the moment-to-moment story as simple as possible. While
part of this simplicity is contributed by having a linear narrative, it may be
necessary for it to also comprise of a single strand for it to fully achieve its goal.
Another aspect to ‘The Dog and the Shadow’ that lends itself so well to being a
story for a children’s book is that it simply follows the journey of a dog on its way
home. There are no branching narrative paths or separate storylines following
other characters.
Going back to the complex thoughts associated with a partially open
narrative, the anti-realist approach of story aspects further enhances these
thoughts. However, while it is arguable that my interpretation of ‘The Dog and
the Shadow’ is indeed anti-realist, a more abstract view of the relevant scenes
may reveal a more grounded quality. The only scenes to appear as anti-realist
are those on Page 6, where a menacing dog face is seen in the water as a
shadowy reflection, and Page 9/10, where the dog is seen to transform into a
child holding a dog’s toy. Although both of these are represented with pictures
as well as text, this does not necessarily mean it is physically happening in the
world. In fact, ‘The Dog and the Shadow’ developed throughout my idea
generation into as much of a metaphor of the mind of a child as it did about a dog
going through the woods and facing its fears. Considering this, the book takes
aspects from both a realist and anti-realist approach in order to create an
interesting yet accessible blend of the two.

2. George Boatfield, Creative Media Production
Explain and find examples of:
Linear Narrative
Closed narrative
 Single strand
Anti-realist
Find examples of structures not used.
Why did I use:
 Opening
 Conflict
 Enigma
 Resolution
Manipulation of time and space
The core story of ‘The Dog and the Shadow’ consists of an opening, conflict and a
resolution, those being the dog finding food, losing it and walking home empty
handed. While the opening is fairly straightforward, both the conflict and
resolution offer the possibility of an enigmatic aspect to the book. When the dog
sees his shadow in this adaptation of the story, it is visualised as a dark and more
aggressive looking hound. Rather than just showing a darker version of the dog’s
face, this approach allows for a more impactful image and introduces what may
be some sort of supernatural/magical element to the woods that the dog is
wondering through. This begins the enigma of the story.
This is continued and then resolved along with the rest of the story in the
final scene of the book, though is not necessarily made completely clear and is
open to interpretation. The dog begins to warp into a child holding a dog toy as
he reaches the house in the distance. While it was perhaps speculated that it was
the woods that held a magical element, it may instead be the child or the toy that
is carrying a power.
The other solution and my own interpretation/intention of the magical
elements in the story is that it is all taking place in a child’s mind as plays. This
explains both a very abstract visualisation of fear, as well as the transformation
to the boy at the end (as he reaches the house, he is coming closer to reality).
In terms of the manipulation of time and space, liberties have been taken
with the passage of time at numerous points in the story. Examples of this
include switching from the market scene to the dog on his way home along with
the scene of the dog entering the woods to him immediately then being at the
bridge he crosses. This has been done in order to cut out unnecessary scenes in
the book and ensure that the impact of each scene is not lost through padding.
There is one example in the book of the passage of time being stretched
out. This is done very visually on the final page of the book; not only is the page
showing a sunset across three different stages as well as the dog’s movement
along a path, it is also spread out across two pages. This enhances the effect of
the changing lighting of the scene by allowing it to be more spread out and
apparent, while also symbolically conveying the drawn out time through the
longer image.