Structure of fiction texts

In a nutshell

The simplest way to structure a narrative fiction text is to start at the beginning of the story, then the middle and finally the ending. However, this is not the only way to structure a fiction text. Varying the structure of a narrative can have multiple effects, for example, it can put emphasis on different parts of the plot, grab a reader's attention or show different perspectives. 

Linear versus non-linear

A linear narrative is told in chronological order, that means the events of the plot are told in the correct order in which they happened. Conversely, in non-linear stories, the plot is told out of order; the events are in a different sequence to how they happened. When writing non-linear stories, writers often begin with a really engaging part of the story, something unusual or exciting to grab the readers attention.

Example​

Flashbacks

Flashbacks are when the narrative jumps to a point in the past, often before the story even begins. Flashbacks are sometimes quick interjections in the narrative, but at other times they are used as a way to frame and tell the main narrative of the story. If a story switches a lot between flashbacks and the present, it's an example of a non-linear structure. On the other hand, if the flashbacks are only brief, maybe as part of a character's dream or memory, it might still be considered a linear story. 

Example 

At the beginning of 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Brontë, the female protagonist of the novel, Cathy, is already dead. In the present, where the novel begins, Mr Lockwood has just moved to Thrushcross Grange and his housekeeper Nelly tells him the story of Heathcliff and Cathy which becomes the main narrative. As the main story is framed in this way by the characters in the present, it is an example of a flashback used as a device to tell a non-linear narrative.

Flashforwards

Flashforwards are when the narrative jumps ahead into the future, briefly or for an extended period. This is usually done by revealing some important information or an intriguing plot point which happens later in the story, engaging the reader and making them want to read on.

Example

'I was just about to leave when I found her kneeling there... Apart from everything else, the book thief wanted desperately to go back to the basement, to write, or to read through her story one last time. In hindsight, I see it so obviously on her face. She was dying for it— the safety of it, the home of it but she could not move. Also, the basement didn’t even exist anymore. It was part of the mangled landscape.'

(From 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak)

The novel 'The Book Thief' has a non-linear structure; throughout the novel, flashforwards are used to reveal parts of the plot and entice the reader. This particular flashforward from the prequel actually reveals a scene from the very end, or the climax of the novel. Using climactic moments like this at the beginning of the novel makes the reader want to read on to find out how the plot reaches that point.

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Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is a device writers use to hint at something which is going to come later in the story. Foreshadowing can appear in many different ways, it can be in the narration or the dialogue of a narrative; it can be symbolic or it can be an action or trait of a certain character. Sometimes the title of a book can even foreshadow events to come in it. 

Example

'JULIET: Go ask his name. If he be married, 

My grave is like to be my wedding bed.'

(From 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare)

Foreshadowing is one of the main dramatic techniques used in 'Romeo and Juliet'. The death of the main characters is foreshadowed from the outset, even in the prologue of this play. The frequent foreshadowing emphasises inevitability of the couple's fate, enforcing the idea that their free will is an illusion. 

Note: Foreshadowing is different to a flashforward because a flashforward shows what will actually happen in the future, whereas foreshadowing only gives a hint as to what might happen.  

Turning points

Turning points are important moments in a story when the narrative changes direction. Most fiction texts have multiple turning points, but the biggest turning point is often at the point of highest tension, or the climax of a novel. Turning points often involve a realisation for a character, a change in attitude or a decision. Turning points can also be symbolic in terms of the theme of a story.  

Example

'She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think without feeling she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd.

“How despicably I have acted!” she cried; “I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I, who have valued myself on my abilities! …Till this moment I never knew myself.”'

(From 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen)​

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This moment from 'Pride and Prejudice' comes right after Elizabeth reads the letter Darcy wrote for her after she rejected his proposal. This is a turning point in the novel because Elizabeth's feelings regarding Darcy change massively and the course of the novel is altered. Elizabeth's change of heart is a result of the revelations in the letter, for example, learning that Wickham had lied to her. 

Cliffhangers

A cliffhanger is a narrative device designed to keep the reader engaged. Cliffhangers are dramatic moments at the end of a chapter or a book which aren't resolved, usually a character is left in some danger or an unknown situation. This builds suspense and makes the reader want to carry on to the next chapter or installment to find out what happens. 

Example

'One minute to go and he’d be eleven. Thirty seconds … twenty... ten – nine – maybe he’d wake Dudley up, just to annoy him – three – two – one –

BOOM.
The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.'

(From 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' by J. K. Rowling)

This cliffhanger at the end of a chapter builds suspense, and it makes the reader want to continue reading onto the next chapter to find out who could be at the door and what happens to Harry.