A Dictionary of Narratology - Tapa dura

History, literature, religion, myth, film, psychology, theory, and daily conversation all rely heavily upon narrative. So it is hardly surprising that studies of the art of narrative abound. Narrative has a language much its own, with regularly recurring patterns, deeply established conventions for transmission, and interpretive codes, whether in a novel, cartoon, or case study. Cutting across many disciplines, narratology describes and analyzes this language, and only recently have serious attempts been made to regularize it to permit one expert to understand another. In "A Dictionary of Narratology," Gerald Prince provides quick and reliable access to terms and concepts that are defined, illustrated, and cross-referenced. All entries are keyed to articles or books in which the terms originate or are exemplified. Important as the first book of its kind, "A Dictionary of Narratology" should prove indispensable to writers, critics, and scholars in many fields.

Gerald Prince is a professor of French at the University of Pennsylvania. His publications include "Narratology: The Form and Functioning of Narrative" (1982).