What is Story Grammar?
Story Grammar is a concept in educational psychology and literacy studies that refers to the underlying structure or organizational pattern of narrative texts. It’s a framework that helps readers understand and writers construct coherent, well-formed stories. The idea is based on the premise that most stories, regardless of their content, follow a predictable structure or “grammar.”
The concept of Story Grammar was developed in the 1970s and 1980s by researchers such as Nancy Stein and Christine Glenn. They proposed that stories typically contain certain key elements and follow a particular sequence, much like sentences follow grammatical rules. Understanding this structure can significantly enhance reading comprehension and writing skills.
The basic elements of Story Grammar typically include:
Setting: The time and place where the story occurs.
Characters: The individuals involved in the story.
Initiating Event: The event that starts the story’s action.
Internal Response: The main character’s reaction to the initiating event.
Goal: What the main character wants to achieve.
Attempts: The actions taken by the character to achieve the goal.
Outcome: The result of the attempts.
Resolution: How the story ends and how characters react to the outcome.
These elements are usually presented in a logical sequence, creating a coherent narrative structure. By understanding this structure, readers can more easily follow the plot, predict what might happen next, and comprehend the overall meaning of the story.
In educational settings, teaching Story Grammar can be highly beneficial. It provides students with a mental framework for organizing information as they read, helping them to better understand and remember story content. For struggling readers, explicitly teaching Story Grammar can improve their ability to comprehend and recall narrative texts.
For writers, understanding Story Grammar can serve as a valuable tool for crafting well-structured narratives. It provides a blueprint for organizing ideas and ensuring that all necessary elements are included in the story.
Story Grammar is not just applicable to traditional literary texts. It can also be used to analyze and create various forms of narrative content, including personal anecdotes, news stories, and even some forms of non-fiction writing.
However, it’s important to note that while Story Grammar provides a useful framework, it shouldn’t be seen as a rigid rule. Many great stories deviate from this structure in creative ways. The goal is to understand the typical structure as a foundation, which can then be built upon or subverted for artistic effect.