The document discusses different narrative structures and elements that are commonly seen in stories. It analyzes the narrative of a rat story based on these structures and elements. The rat story has a closed narrative, single story line, non-linear structure, anti-realist elements, and starts by introducing the conflict between the rats and a cat. However, it subverts expectations by having an anti-climactic resolution where the rats decide not to carry out their plan, leaving the reader disappointed but teaching an important lesson.

1. Narrative Structure

2. Narrative
• An open narrative means the story does not meet an
ultimate conclusion. Examples of media with an open
narrative include comic books, soap operas and most
anime series.
• A closed narrative means the story meets a conclusion
by the end of the story. Examples of media that meet
conclusions include movies and most television series.
• My story has a closed narrative because it ends with a
resolution. However, this can be debated, as it is not
entirely certain what happens after the main story.

3. Storyline
• A single strand story involves one single story line. This is
ideal for children’s stories, as a simple story allows them to
understand the story effectively.
• A multi-strand story involves multiple different storylines,
often linking to the same conclusion. Many movies use this
technique to exhibit more excitement.
• My story is a single strand story that focuses entirely on the
rats and how they intend to deal with their problem with
the housecat. There is a brief moment that gives the rat an
opportunity to safely meet up, however that is the only
moment where the focus is off the rats and it does not
even take up the whole paragraph.

4. Structure
• A linear structure goes from beginning to end smoothly
without any flashbacks or flash forwards. Most children’s
books follow a linear structure to keep a focus on the main
events.
• A non-linear structure occasionally jumps from one point in
the story to another and back again. Several movies and TV
series use this structure to comprehend any ideas a
character is having (e.g. Family Guy’s cutaway gags).
• My story follows a non-linear narrative. This is because my
illustrations in the middle of the story showcase what the
rats are thinking (and they all think ahead into their
optimistic future).

5. Story
• A realist story involves reflecting real life and exhibiting
an interest in day-to-day experience. Soap operas and
reality television tends to revolve around this idea.
• An anti-realist story involves characters and locations
that are unlikely/impossible to find or discover. Many
movies and books follow this trend as this tends to
excite viewers more often.
• Because my story involves anthropomorphic talking
animals, it immediately falls into the anti-realist
category. However, the situations involved tend to be
realistic in the human world.

6. Opening
• The opening is one of the most important
components of an effective story, not least for
the fact that it kicks off the whole story.
• My story starts off by discussing the conflict
between the rats and Old Rodilard the cat.

7. Conflict
• A conflict is the most common driver of the
story, as it sets the protagonist off onto the
task the story requires for completion.
• As mentioned before, I started the story off by
discussing the conflict between the rats and
Old Rodilard the cat. This conflict is a recurring
theme in the whole story.

8. Resolution
• The resolution occurs at the end of the story to
wrap it up. It often involves a happy ending. It
occurs after the climax of the film or a fake-out
(where at first it seems the main protagonist did
not survive the climax) and offers some relief
shortly before the movie ends.
• My story does not follow the convention of a
happy ending. Instead, the rats have their plan,
but no-one is brave enough to put the bell on
Rodilard. As a result, they are still as vulnerable as
ever.

9. Enigma
• An enigma is a mystery in the story, which is designed
to intrigue consumers. The most obvious form of
media that uses enigma is crime dramas, as it is used
to create a debate among viewers about who
committed the crime. It can also be used in a movie,
often in the form of a plot twist, which makes it more
exciting for the viewer.
• In my story, there is a bit of enigma: when the rats
conceive their plan, it can leave readers wondering
how they successfully put a bell on the cat.

10. Climax
• The climax is a point in the story that means a turning
point that changes the character’s fate. It tends to be
very exciting and is incorporated into most movies near
the end to leave the audience in tension. It can be seen
as a very clichéd part of modern films because it
appears in almost every modern film.
• My story’s turning point is actually anti-climatic, as
every rat decides not to risk their lives putting the bell
on the cat, which renders their assembly completely
pointless. Most readers may be disappointed by this
method of killing the tension, but it does teach an
important lesson.

11. Manipulation of time and space
• This method involves jumping forward or backwards in
time, either by stretching or condensing time. Many
films use this technique for emphasis. Condensing is
used to make an otherwise dull scene interesting (train
journey scene, Hot Fuzz (2007)), and stretching is often
used to raise tension in an already intense scene (bullet
time, The Matrix (1999)).
• My illustrations showcase something similar to this, as I
have thought bubbles showing the rats thinking ahead
to when they have hypothetically put a bell on the cat.