A narrative sequence is made up of a succession of events that make up a narrative.
In order to adequately define this term we would have to focus on the meaning that each word that makes it up has. In this way we can point out on the one hand that the succession of events or elements that have a relationship between them is called a sequence . While the narrative refers to the act of telling a story and to the literary genre in prose that is characterized by presenting a series of events that occurred in a specific time frame. Among the most important subgenres of this genre are the short story and the novel .
The idea of narrative sequence is therefore linked to the chain of events that take place in a narrative. In general, a narrative sequence has three major stages or moments: the introduction, the climax and the conclusion , and allows the structuring of the actions carried out by the different characters in the story . These actions have different degrees of importance and are generally linked through a cause/effect relationship: that is, one action is a consequence of another previous action.
The different stages of narration
Introduction : The introduction is the first step in the narrative sequence and allows the characters to be introduced and the story to begin to develop. Depending on the type of story (long or short), this stage will be more or less extensive; however, it generally stands out considerably from the knot (next stage) because it is where the universe of the fiction is established, with its times, its characters and its possibilities . It is very important that writers pay special attention to this moment of the process in order to offer a strong beginning that encourages readers to continue reading.
Knot : The knot, also known as the plot, includes the main events , those that transform and drive the narrative. Generally, the conflict that arises in a narrative arises by chance or by some curious coincidence that puts the emotional, mental or material stability of the protagonist in jeopardy and leads to a series of unpleasant circumstances for him. At this point, the author must try to capture the reader's attention through suspense and what is not said with words, and slowly lead him to the climax, which is the culminating moment of the knot and leads to the outcome.
The introduction, the climax and the outcome are the main moments of a narrative sequence.
Denouement : Finally, in the denouement of the narrative sequence, the conflicts are resolved and the tension of the narrative is dismantled. The climax, that moment of absolute tension that takes place at the end of the plot, prepares the reader for that ending. However, the great cleverness of the writer is in offering an ending that does not conform to what is pre-established, that cannot be easily predicted and that offers a twist to the story that satisfies the reader.
Example of narrative sequence
“As the dog struggled to get out of the water, Tito watched him attentively and nervously. The boy, barely 8 years old, was aware of the danger of the situation: the animal could drown, just like him if he jumped in to save it. However, he gathered his courage and jumped into the water. Deep down, he felt that he could not remain motionless in front of a dog in trouble. Tito reached the animal, hugged it and together they began to fight against the current. After a few minutes, the two of them were resting on the shore, exhausted and safe.”
In any case, it is important to bear in mind that the narrative sequence is not always easy to determine. Many stories have a complex plot that allows for the development of several simultaneous subplots. In fact, nowadays, narrative texts that are constructed with fragmentary events following a pattern established by the author but that do not respond to that specific structure are extremely normal. Whatever the case, through an intense reading, the key points of a narrative can be established and the narrative sequence that forms it can be briefly defined.