Wedensday, February 12

Discussed in class on the 12th was historical narrative.  Historical narrative is described as a moment of choice by a communicator.  Narrative cannot exist without the written or oral communication of an individual.  All of history would be lost were it not for the documentation of events as they passed.  Historical narrative can also be described a a moment of performance of the message.  How was that message delivered, did it favor one party over all others?  Historical narrative is also a moment of interaction with the audience.  How will audiences analyze events taking place in the present in the future?  Another way to describe historical narrative is as a moment of effect with communication.  When people tell of events from the past they do so to add effect, to show the seriousness of the situation therefore they communicate with effect.  These descriptions of historical narrative, written above, are also the four types of moments of action.  Action can also be described as a place or places where elements of the story gather causing a unity of action or cohesion or agreement with the characters in the story.  Do the characters or the events of the story make up the manuscript?  Who dictates what? 
In Jane Austen's masterpiece Sense and Sensibility, is a tale of two sisters Elinor and Marianne thorough circumstances which are beyond their own control are put in a reduced-circumstances situation and as the story evolves the reader learns that through their own folly they have made the situation worse. I wondered if the characters of Elinor and Marianne were at fault for their situation or were others at fault.  Did Elinor or Marianne value their choices?  Not at the beginning, no, but eventually they learned through their pattern of choices that many were not practical and that time eventually set to right the situation.
The key for any good author is to concentrate on the becoming not what it became, to provide dynamism, to resist clocks, calendars, and geography, leave readers with experience, not just understanding, and to develop vivid characters.  Why do you think Jane Austen is still popular to this day?