The Narrative nuclei Are all parts of a narrative text that are essential for the continuity and consistency of the story.
They are the main actions, all events truly relevant within history and that without them it would be impossible to understand or continue.
Every narrative has one or more narrative nuclei and they are easily identifiable since, if they are removed from the narrative, what is narrated below is not understandable.
If, on the other hand, a part of the text is removed and the following is consistent, then we are dealing with a secondary text.
When we have read a story or have seen a movie and are asked to tell it, if we can focus on what is important and not go through the branches, then without knowing it, we will be selecting the narrative knots to explain the development of the plot.
The succession of several narrative nuclei forms what is called a narrative sequence. The narrative is composed of a series of elements, among which are the actions, which are developed in a certain time and space.
Within these actions there are some that form the backbone of history. These are the so-called narrative nuclei.
Main features of narrative nuclei
1- They tell the main facts of history.
2- They mark and allow the advances, turns or setbacks of the plot.
3- They are present throughout the narrative structure.
4- They present a sequence of logical time: each follows the previous one.
5- They relate to each other.
6 - To maintain this relationship need connectors such as: then, meanwhile, then, so, so, then, still, and so on.
7- Establish a cause-effect relationship, because the action to which it refers in the first place triggers another subsequent action.
Example of narrative nuclei
Below is a story known by all, where the narrative nuclei contained in it will be highlighted.
Little Red Riding Hood
There was once a little girl named Little Red Riding Hood, as her grandmother gave her a red cap. One day, the mother of Little Red Riding Hood sent her to her grandmother's, who was sick, to bring her a basket of bread, chocolate, fruits and sweets. His mother said to him,"Do not turn aside from the usual way and do not talk to strangers."
Little Red Riding Hood was singing along the way, cutting flowers and dancing, when she suddenly found the wolf and said,"Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red Riding Hood, where are you going?" "To my grandmother's house to bring her bread, chocolate, sugar and sweets". "Let's make a race! I'll leave you the shortest way and I'll take the longest to give you an advantage."Little Red Riding Hood accepted but she did not know that the wolf had deceived her. The wolf arrived earlier, ate the granny and disguised himself in his clothes and lay on the bed, wrapping up to the neck with the blankets.
When Little Red Riding Hood arrived, he knocked on the door:"Who is it?"Said the wolf dressed as a grandmother. "It's me,"said Little Red Riding Hood. "And what a big mouth you have." "It's to eat better!" "Come on, come on, little girl." When Little Red Riding Hood saw his grandmother, he noticed her very strange and began to ask questions. "Grandma, what big eyes you have,"said the strange girl. "They look better." "Granny, Granny, what big ears you have." "They are to hear you better." "And what a big nose you have." "It's to smell better."
The wolf disguised as a grandmother rose from the bed to eat the girl too .
Little Red Riding Hood began to run all over the room and the wolf behind her. I was exhausted from running and I could not run. The wolf was about to reach it when hunters passed near the hut and when they heard the shouts they approached with their shotguns. When they saw the wolf, they shot and pulled the grandmother out of the wolf's belly. So Little Red Riding Hood after this fright did not return to disobey her mother. And colorin colorado this story is over.
As it will be observed, the narrative nucleus of this traditional story is the encounter of Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf in the forest. However, there are several important and easily recognizable moments and actions in the history of the Little Red Riding Hood:
1- The girl goes home to her grandmother, prior to the recommendation of the mother (if the girl did not leave, could not have met the wolf).
2- The girl meets the wolf and talks to him, disobeying the instructions of the mother (if the wolf does not talk to Little Red Riding Hood, he would not know where he is going or could execute his plan).
3- The wolf goes ahead, arrives at the house of the grandmother and eats it (if this action is eliminated nothing that follows would make sense).
4- The wolf tries to eat Little Red Riding Hood;
5- The girl screams and some hunters intervene, killing the wolf.
On the other hand, secondary actions are presented to adorn and complement the story, or to slow down its outcome.
They are also called catalysis. They are narrative appealing resources, since they enrich the text and the history, but they are not part of the narrative nucleus.
In this example, the secondary actions would be:
1- Little Red Riding Hood was singing along the road, cutting flowers and dancing.
2- The wolf disguised himself in his clothes and lay down on the bed, wrapping up to the neck with the blankets
3 - Little Red Riding Hood was exhausted and had almost no strength to run.
In other traditional stories, the narrative nucleus would be the following one:
The ugly Duckling
The pata pata had cute ducklings, except one that was born ugly and ungainly. As winter passed, the ugly duckling became a beautiful white swan.
The Cinderella
A princess is orphaned and goes to live with her stepmother and her stepsisters, who are very bad and treat her like a maid.
Although she is not invited to the royal ball, she manages to go and the prince falls in love with her. After a desperate search for his beloved, following the trail of a forgotten slipper, he finds her and marries her.
Christmas song
Scrooge is a selfish, bitter man who hates Christmas. Marley shows up. The spectrum of the past Christmas appears.
The spectrum of the present Christmas appears. The spectrum of future Christmas appears. Scrooge after seeing everything he lived and what he will live, ends up believing in Christmas and becomes good.
References
- Nuclei, catalysis, indicia and informants. Retrieved from campus.ort.edu.ar.
- María Candelaria Pagella. Language 6. Santillana Argentina. Retrieved from issuu.com/santillanaargentina.
- Narrative Genre. Recovered from language.blogspot.com.ar.