Frameworks: Narrative Levels and Embedded Narrative

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P. Lang, 1997 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 208 pages
The structural device of the «story within a story», variously labeled «frame», «Chinese box», «Russian doll», or «embedded» narrative, is so widely found in the literature of all cultures and periods as to approach universality. Despite its durable attraction for writers and audiences throughout history, however, embedded narrative remains a form largely unmapped by literary theory. This study surveys and synthesizes the work done to date on this significant artistic technique and breaks new ground by providing a comprehensive model for the description and analysis of the many types and functions of embedded narrative.

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Contents

Introduction
1
Historical and Implied Authors and Readers
9
The General Narrator
45
Copyright

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About the author (1997)

The Author: William Nelles is an assistant professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He received his Ph.D. in English from Northern Illinois University. In addition to publishing numerous articles in scholarly journals and books, he has served since 1991 as Bibliography Editor of the journal of literary theory Style.

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