Narrative Devices Research Articles

Literature and the therapeutic imagination. Adoption, Charles Dickens and psychoanalysis

ABSTRACT This paper begins with the idea that English literature contains many explorations of the psychological processes of adoption. Although adoption is an intriguing narrative device, it could be argued that psychoanalysis adds further understanding of the deeper reasons for this. There is a long tradition of psychoanalysis being interested in literature and the paper traces the roots of this from Freud to more recent writers. A good exemplar of literature exploring adoption is found in many of the works of Charles Dickens such as David Copperfield, Great Expectations, Nicholas Nickleby and Oliver Twist. Although Bleak House is often regarded as being mainly about a dysfunctional legal system, the paper argues that it also contains a perceptive account of a child in the adoption process. Themes of ‘not knowing’, searching and re-unification, identity and the use of transitional objects are all present in this novel. Finally, the paper suggests that any clinicians working with the inner world could be enriched by paying close attention to the novelist’s imaginative exploration of the adoption process. This point is made through the consideration of the work of Jeremy Holmes. The therapeutic imagination could be enhanced by bringing the study of literature into the training and development of psychotherapists.

Re-imaging empowered princesshood against the rise of the fourth-wave feminism: A thematic study of Disney’s princess live-action remakes

From 2014 to 2023, The Walt Disney Company launched five princess live-action remakes and two adaptations to update its iconic female characters. In both media discussions and academic literature, these revamped princess productions have been celebrated for their embodiments of fourth-wave feminist qualities, such as confidence, independence and girl power. However, the exact process of framing women’s empowerment on-screen – translating abstract feminist ideologies into specific visualizations and bodily performances of Disney princesses – has been treated as a taken-for-granted phenomenon placed beyond interrogation. Through a thematic analysis of all released remakes, this article demonstrates how the live-action princesses are represented to reflect fourth-wave feminist notions and what gender messages are delivered by this renovated series. I identify two visual styles and three plot devices that are used repetitively across the remakes to endow the princess characters with a progressive persona. I further discover that, despite being empowered at first glance, the remakes’ engagements with fourth-wave feminism remain superficial and eventually channel the stories back to existing gender stereotypes and imbalanced structures. This conclusion contributes to the scholarship by ascertaining Disney’s strategic leverage of contemporary gender ideologies on-screen and revealing the problematic nature of such corporate-dominated, pro-feminist agendas.

Unveiling Spectatorship: Exploring Audience Engagement and Cultural Discourses in Hamlet's 'Mousetrap' and Haider's 'Bismil’

This study investigates the dynamic interplay of spectatorship and performance in Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider and Shakespeare's Hamlet, focusing on the concept of the play-within-the-play to explore intersecting political and cultural discourses. In Hamlet, the “Mousetrap” scene serves as a pivotal metatheatrical moment that reveals hidden truths and assigns guilt, drawing the audience into a profound examination of justice and morality. By contrast, Haider reimagines this metatheatrical device through the “Bismil” sequence, an act of political resistance set against the fraught socio-political landscape of Kashmir. Bhardwaj transforms Shakespeare's classic into a critique of political oppression, aligning it with postcolonial concerns and regional narratives. This adaptation actively subverts Western cultural dominance, urging audiences to engage critically with both the source text and its recontextualized meanings. Situating Haider within a broader tradition of audience-centric reinterpretations of Hamlet, the study highlights how Bollywood melodrama reshapes Shakespearean drama’s emotional and analytical dimensions. The use of music, dance, and symbolism in Haider intensifies its political resonance, making the “Bismil” sequence not just a narrative device but a powerful critique of systemic violence. By emphasizing metatheatrical elements, this paper explores their role in advancing political commentary, fostering cultural hybridization, and disrupting dominant narratives. Ultimately, Haider exemplifies the transformative potential of adaptations, revealing how they can deepen audience engagement and broaden the political scope of classic texts, illuminating new possibilities for resistance and critique within contemporary frameworks.

Critical representation of the clerical milieu in the era of Russian Great Reforms (1860s–1870s): a starting point for reforms or condemnation?

ABSTRACT The paper investigates the predilection of Russian literature of the 1860s towards a critical representation of social reality, focusing on criticism aimed at the Russian Orthodox clergy. The author analyzes two novels written in the middle of the decade – Livanov (1864) by Mikhail Osokin and Na pogoste (At the churchyard, 1865) by Nikolai Blagoveshchenskii – to demonstrate both the objects of criticism and the literary devices used for this purpose. The analysis allows her to detect differences between two variants of criticism and place them within the literary and ecclesio-social context of the second half of the nineteenth century. She observes that a critical approach was characteristic of both journalists and writers who were deeply concerned about the state of the Church and were striving to revive it, and of those wishing to radically destroy the past. While the objects of their criticism were mainly identical, their literary texts differ in the way they employ plot, characterization, and stylistic devices to convey diverse ideological messages.

Narrative Railroading

AbstractThe narratives we have about ourselves are important for our sense of who we are. However, our narratives are influenced, even manipulated, by the people and environments we interact with, impacting our self-understanding. This can lead to narratives that are limited, even harmful. In this paper, I explore how our narrative agency is constrained, to greater and lesser degrees, through a process I call ‘narrative railroading’. Bringing together work on narratives and 4E cognition, I specifically explore how using features of our socio-material environments to support and construct our narratives does not simply offer up possibilities for creating more reliable and accurate self-narratives (Heersmink 2020) but can lead to increasingly tight narrative railroading. To illustrate this idea, I analyse how digital technologies do not neutrally distribute our narratives but dynamically shape and mould narrative agency in ways that can restrict our self-understanding, with potentially harmful consequences. As such, I argue that we need to recognise that digital devices not only support narratives but work as powerful narrative devices, shaping and propagating the kinds of narratives that we self-ascribe and act in accordance with.

A Study of Animal Narration in Mo Yan's Life and Death Fatigue

Mo Yan masterfully employs the distinctive narrative device of animal perspective throughout "Life and Death Fatigue," which endows the novel with a rich tapestry of profound content and distinctive formal qualities. This innovative approach transcends the traditional narrative constraints that confine the narrative voice to human experiences, and instead, it crafts a literary realm that oscillates between the realms of reality and surrealism. By bestowing animals with human-like rationality and insight, while simultaneously preserving their intrinsic animalistic instincts and irrational behaviors, Mo Yan creates a multifaceted narrative that challenges and expands the boundaries of storytelling. This article aims to delve into the intricacies of the animal narrative within the book and to further investigate the metaphorical depth that the author conveys through his portrayal of animals.

Self-translation and/or Rewriting. The translingual journey of Alba de Céspedes, from Sans autre lieu que la nuit to Nel buio della notte

Abstract De Céspedes’ work is characterized by a complex linguistic mosaic, culminating in the last twenty years with the experimental novel Sans autre lieu que la nuit, influenced by 1970s Italian narrative and set in Paris. The novel’s French, rich in various registers, required extensive adaptation for the Italian translation Nel buio della notte. The article analyses the translation strategies and narrative devices used to adapt the novel to Italian culture, highlighting the differences between the two works.

THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OF COLORS IN HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS

This study examines the symbolic meanings of colors in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling, utilizing archetypal criticism and Carl Jung's theory of archetypal symbols. Through a qualitative analysis, the research explores how color functions as a tool for conveying deep thematic elements, enhancing the narrative, and reflecting the emotional and psychological states of the characters. Colors such as red, gold, green, black, white, and blue are shown to symbolize various abstract concepts, including friendship, bravery, immortality, power, love, and death. For instance, red and gold are associated with Gryffindor House values like courage and friendship, while green symbolizes both dark power and the protective love of Harry’s mother. Black is linked to death and darkness, and white signifies purity and sacrifice. By investigating these symbolic associations, the study reveals how Rowling employs color as a narrative device to enrich the reader's understanding of the characters' journeys and the larger themes of good versus evil, sacrifice, and the pursuit of truth. This research highlights the significance of color symbolism as an integral part of the storytelling in the Harry Potter series, providing deeper insights into the novel's thematic layers and the psychological motivations of its characters.

Anti-hero, Anti-drama and Surreal ——On the Poetic Presentation of Jia Zhangke's Films

Jia Zhangke, a prominent figure among the sixth generation of directors, is known for his works that embody strong poetic aesthetic qualities. His films are rooted in realistic documentation, while poetic expression serves as the hallmark of his cinematic style. This paper aims to analyze and synthesize the methods of poetic depiction employed in Jia Zhangke's oeuvre. Through meticulous film screenings and literature reviews, several recurring features have been identified. Firstly, his narratives often revolve around anti-heroic, marginal characters, observing the lives of various beings amidst shifting times. Secondly, he eschews the conventional "four-act" narrative structure, exhibiting an anti-dramatic tendency, and employs block narration. By steering away from suspenseful plot devices and softening the logical coherence of his film stories, he cultivates a poetic narrative akin to prose poetry. Lastly, Jia Zhangke incorporates open-ended conclusions and surreal scenes laden with poetic metaphors into his films, thereby constructing narratives with symbolic implications. This approach elicits empathy from viewers, imbuing Jia Zhangke's films with a profound sense of poetry and offering inspiration for filmmakers seeking to incorporate poetic elements into their creations.

‘Une lueur douteuse’: Artificial Light and the Literary Imagination (1841–1913)

ABSTRACT The lighting of Paris underwent the most radical transformation in its history between the mid-nineteenth to the early-twentieth century. In turn, new degrees of brightness, colours, effects and rituals found their way into the literary imagination. This article specifically discusses literary scenes where lighting technologies - candlelight, oil light, gaslight - accompany depictions of emotions. I argue that lighting was a narrative device to generate tension, to stage certain emotions, to guide the reader's attention, and to depict interior emotional states. We will find that literary analysis offers insights into the connections between new technologies and the history of the emotions.

An Appalled Ghost Guiding Readers Across Semiotic Fault Lines: The Contribution of Literature to the Appreciation of Legal Change

Abstract What are the conditions for meaning-making in intertextuality? The article explores what the relational dynamics of (legal) transtextuality can reveal about the semiotic hierarchies that govern them. The interest in these relational dynamics goes beyond the specific relations between texts captured by the hypo-/hyper-text relation. Rather, it embraces the inner conditions of meaning-making in transtextuality across multiple texts. Shifts in the underlying semiotic hierarchies can be tracked within each (legal) field, but the article turns to literature to explore the potential of intertextuality in exposing the transformative dynamics of various legal fields underneath the shifting semiotic hierarchies. Legal studies have variously investigated these shifting semiotic hierarchies, often resorting to the spectrum imposition/prestige (Sacco 1991) the article thus looks into the intertextuality of a literary text and what it can contribute to the analysis, beyond the spectrum. Egypt in the 19th century witnessed major legal transformations (Fahmy 2018; Hilāl 2011; Peters 2020). Just as major, however, were the transformations in legal discourse to accommodate a new vocabulary of ‘modern’ law, often drawing from Islamic law (Parolin 2016). The dynamic relations between alternative legal discourses and their semiotic hierarchies almost imperceptibly transformed over the course of the century, but by the end of the century these hierarchies were nearly entirely redrawn, and Islamic legal discourse had to be characterised or adjectivised as ‘Islamic’ (Parolin 2015). The article thus considers one of the canonical works of late 19th century Egyptian literature, Muḥammad al-Muwayliḥī’s What ʿĪsá bin Hishām Told Us (1898–1901). In it, the author describes with irony the shock and tribulations of the ghost of a mid-19th century personality in his encounter with late 19th century Egypt. Al-Muwayliḥī’s is however a brilliant fictional device to stage al-Muwayliḥī’s own shock and the shock of late 19th century Egyptians at the transformations of the country in a few decades. His humourous account precisely begins with changes in law and its enforcement agencies. Not only does legal discourse often capture the enormity of these legal transformations, but also how other elements of legal semiotics witness to far-reaching transformations that cause the ghost much tribulation, on top of the shock.

The Art of Female Gaze and Emotional Expression: A Study of Portrait of a Lady on Fire

This paper explores the use of the female gaze, emotional expression, and visual composition in Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire to challenge traditional gender power dynamics. By subverting the male gaze, the film allows its female characters, Marianne and Héloïse, to reclaim their agency and subjectivity through the mutual act of looking. The film’s deliberate framing and use of color—particularly the contrast between Héloïse’s blue and Marianne’s red—serve as visual metaphors for the characters’ emotional states and the tension between freedom and societal constraints. Additionally, silence is employed as a powerful narrative device, heightening the intensity of their relationship through nonverbal communication. This analysis demonstrates how Portrait of a Lady on Fire reshapes gender relations by centering women’s experiences, desires, and identities, offering a profound meditation on love, art, and autonomy.

Plotting cryptoeconomic imaginaries and counterplotting the network state

In this paper I critically conceptualize and analyze what I call “cryptoeconomic imaginaries” in economic geography via Sylvia Wynter’s concept of “plotting” as praxis. I define “cryptoeconomic imaginaries” as the multiple contesting ways in which blockchains and cryptocurrencies are used as a core plot device in reimagining, reshaping, rewriting economic relationships with people, ecologies, spaces, and temporalities. In addition to opening the potential to dream new economic futures, blockchain also has the potential to conscript people to imagine new futures under the parameters of cryptoeconomics, and/or foreclose certain futures from coming into being. The main goal of this paper is to present (counter)/plot work as a conceptual theoretical framework and geographic method of analysis for critical scholars to better understand cryptoeconomic imaginaries, their varied socio-spatial implications and power-geometries to question how future economic plots may come into being and who stands to benefit, specifically in the context of “network state” connected projects funded by Promonos Capital. I propose (counter)plot work as a method to examine: 1) plotting as narrative/literary/rhetorical formation of cryptoeconomic imaginaries; and 2) cryptoeconomic imaginaries plotting the development of literal plots of land and crypto cities. I conclude by suggesting counterplotting as decolonial praxis for (post)plantation refusals of land monopoly, resisting extractive development, and a way to value to land and lives outside of pure profit motive, as inspired by ongoing grassroots activism and community coalitions against cryptocolonialism in Puerto Rico

Architectural Dynamics in Tolkien’s Novel, The Hobbit: A Literary and Cinematic Perspective

This study investigates the dynamic interplay between architectural elements and narrative construction in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit (1937) and its cinematic adaptations directed by Peter Jackson. By focusing on both literary and cinematic mediums, this research elucidates how architectural elements contribute to world-building, character development, story progression, and thematic expression. The fantasy genre, with its potential for spatial constructs, provides fertile ground for this exploration. Through comprehensive analysis, it is revealed that Tolkien’s strategic use of spaces such as the Shire, Erebor, and the Woodland Realm enhances the narrative's depth and realism. These spaces are integral to the narrative, reflecting the cultural and moral attributes of their inhabitants and influencing the story's progression. In parallel, Jackson's films reinterpret these architectural spaces, employing cinematic techniques to amplify their visual and emotional impact. The adaptation showcases the integration of architectural elements with narrative and character development, creating a different kind of experience for viewer. This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from literary analysis, film studies, and architectural theory, to offer new insights into the significant role of architecture in storytelling. The research highlights how architectural principles are translated into narrative devices in literature and visual representations in film. The findings underscore the transformative potential of architectural elements in narrative construction, highlighting their importance as central components rather than mere background settings. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted relationship between architecture, literature, and film, and calls for further interdisciplinary exploration to fully appreciate the impact of spatial dynamics in narrative art.

Stand-up documentary: An emerging narrative device in Yvonne Orji’s comedy

Stand-up documentary—the inclusion of video film footage in stand-up performances—is a growing trend in comedy specials. Gary Gulman in The Great Depresh and Whitmer Thomas in The Golden One are some of the earliest comedians to employ documentary clips in creating portraits of their real-life circumstances on stage. More recently, Yvonne Orji’s comedy special for Home Box Office (HBO) entitled Momma, I Made It! also utilizes documentary video films of the comedienne’s experience in Nigeria to bring the Nigerian experience closer to her American audience. In this article I bring to the academic mainstream the understudied subject of stand-up documentary in humour studies. Through close reading and nuanced analyses of the gig, I examine stand-up documentary as a novel device of narration through which Orji introduces her audience to life in Nigeria through an exposition of her experiences growing up. Accentuating the differences between Nigerians and Americans and playing on Nigerian stereotypes, the comedienne deploys the clips as precise proofs transitioning her American audience into the alternate Nigerian contexts in Momma, I Made It! I conclude that stand-up documentary enhances the credibility of the performance, shapes perceptions of Nigerians, and facilitates audience understanding of cultural contexts that would otherwise remain unfamiliar to them.

HOPE AND SURVIVAL IN ZOMBIE POST-APOCALYPSE ENVIRONMENTS: WORLD WAR Z AND ZONE ONE

The recent popularity of zombie apocalypse narratives across various media highlights their deep engagement with social, cultural, political, and environmental issues. These narratives often use zombies as allegorical figures to explore contemporary problems, such as ecological neglect and societal collapse. The emergence of a zombie-creating virus in contemporary fiction mirrors fears of biological and ecological disasters, framing zombie culture as a reflection on environmental degradation in industrial-capitalist societies. By highlighting the potential consequences of ecological destruction, zombie post-apocalyptic fiction underscores how the collapse of social order exposes internal conflicts—such as fear, mistrust, and selfishness—that obstruct collective survival efforts. This narrative device suggests that while environmental and biological threats are significant, moral and social cohesion are equally crucial for overcoming crises and ensuring survival. Despite the grim scenarios presented, zombie narratives also offer hope by showcasing the importance of collective action, adaptability, and the rebuilding of social units. Thus, this paper argues that the portrayal of hope and survival goes beyond simple thematic analysis in both Max Brooks’ World War Z (2006) and Colson Whitehead’s Zone One (2011) since human ingenuity and resilience are innate qualities, as demonstrated by how societies recover and rebuild following a zombie apocalypse. This claim challenges the conventional view of post-apocalyptic societies as inevitably doomed, instead emphasizing their potential for progress and renewal, not only for the betterment of humanity but also for the preservation of planet Earth.

Poetics of narrative in K. Ishiguro’s novel «The buried giant»

This research focuses on revealing the peculiarities of poetics of narrative in fantasy fictional discourse namely in K. Ishiguro’s novel “The Buried Giant” which, in our view, belongs to metamodernism. The main objective of this research is to elaborate methodology aimed at defining the main categories of narrative and poetics of the novel, establishing the distinct features of metamodernism in the novel under analysis as well as explicating its linguistic means and narrative devices for creating unique poetics of narrative which ensures strong emotional response and unfading interest among the readers.

Madmen and Matriarchs: Gender, Race, and the Reimagining of Creole Identity in Johnelle , by Alfred Mercier

Abstract: Still relatively overlooked, Johnelle by Alfred Mercier is an intriguing meditation on societal collapse and resilience. Shaped by Mercier’s personal experiences and political leanings, the novel delves into motherhood, fatherhood, heredity, and mental illness, and links infanticide to the demise of Francophone Creole culture. It positions female characters as pivotal to Louisiana’s future, contrasting them with male figures whose relevance fades in the aftermath of the American Civil War. This essay examines how Mercier challenged nineteenth-century literary conventions by using gender both as a narrative device and an ontological framework. To a white, crumbling patriarchy, he opposed a multi-racial matriarchal system, and introduced a gender-non-conforming character, inviting readers to envision new possibilities for the future. Ultimately, Johnelle presents a radical vision that questions racial and gender hierarchies and advocates for alternative social structures in postbellum Louisiana.

Alternate worlds

Two new science-fiction TV series – Constellation and Dark Matter – reveal the problem of using the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics as a fictional device, say Robert P Crease and Jennifer Carter.

Unraveling Time: Reading Temporal Shifts as Intergenerational Narrative Weaving in Wanda John-Kehewin’s Visions of the Crow

ABSTRACT: Wanda John-Kehewin’s Visions of the Crow ( Dreams Trilogy: Volume One ) centers on protagonist Daemon Quinn, a Cree teenager facing challenges at home and school. As the narrative interweaves different temporalities, Daemon’s quest to overcome his present-day challenges and comprehend his ancestral identity illuminates the direct correlations between the effects of colonialism and his contemporary struggles. This paper functions as a conversation. It is interspersed with visual and narrative analysis of page layouts as we explore the distinctive capabilities of comics to weave temporal elements within Indigenous-centered storytelling, supporting a critical and expanded reading of the text. By situating the discussion and analysis in moments of temporal shifts, we investigate how Visions of the Crow facilitates the intertwining of timescales and broader narrative devices within its structure. Through this process, we aim to illustrate how comics are particularly well-suited to examining the enduring legacy of intergenerational trauma and offer the potential for intergenerational healing. Aligning with Wanda John-Kehewin’s intentions as the author of Visions of the Crow —to critically reflect on Canada’s history with Indigenous Peoples and to demonstrate that Indigenous Peoples can address social issues and history in a way that fosters critical thinking and growth—this paper also examines the profound and lasting impact of colonialism on Indigenous communities and family systems. Through our discussion, we aim to acknowledge how the past continues to shape the present while exploring spaces of hope and healing for the future within the storytelling of comics.