In literature and other artistic media, a mode is an unspecific critical term usually designating a broad but identifiable kind of literary method, mood, or manner that is not tied exclusively to a particular form or genre. Examples are the satiric mode, the ironic, the comic, the pastoral, and the didactic.
History
In his Poetics, the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle uses 'mode' in a more specific sense. Kinds of poetry, he writes, may be differentiated in three ways: according to their medium of imitation, according to their objects of imitation, and according to their mode or 'manner' of imitation (section I). "For the medium being the same, and the objects the same, the poet may imitate by narration—in which case he can either take another personality as Homer does, or speak in his own person, unchanged—or he may present all his characters as living and moving before us" (section III). According to this definition, 'narrative' and 'dramatic' are modes of fiction:
- "This is not merely a technical distinction but constitutes, rather, one of the cardinal principles of a poetics of the drama as opposed to one of narrative fiction. The distinction is, indeed, implicit in Aristotle's differentiation of representational modes, namely diegesis (narrative description) versus mimesis (direct imitation). It has, as we shall see, important consequences for both the logic and the language of the drama."
Fiction-writing
Fiction is a form of narrative, one of the four rhetorical modes of discourse. Fiction-writing also has distinct forms of expression, or modes, each with its own purposes and conventions. Agent and author Evan Marshall identifies five fiction-writing modes: action, summary, dialogue, feelings/thoughts, and background. Author and writing-instructor Jessica Page Morrell lists six delivery modes for fiction-writing: action, exposition, description, dialogue, summary, and transition. Author Peter Selgin refers to methods, including action, dialogue, thoughts, summary, scene, and description.
Summarization
Summarization (also referred to as summary, narration, or narrative summary) is the fiction-writing mode whereby story events are condensed. The reader is told what happens, rather than having it shown. In the fiction-writing axiom "Show, don't tell" the "tell" is often in the form of summarization.
Summarization has important uses:
- To connect one part of a story to another
- To report events whose details aren't important
- To telescope time
- To convey an emotional state over an extended period of time
- To vary the rhythm and texture of the writing
The main advantage of summary is that it takes up less space. According to author Orson Scott Card, either action or summarization could be right, either could be wrong. Factors such as rhythm, pace, and tone come into play. The objective is to get the right balance between telling versus showing, action versus summarization.
Introspection
Introspection (also referred to as internal dialogue, interior monologue, self-talk) is the fiction-writing mode used to convey a character's thoughts. As explained by Renni Browne and Dave King, "One of the great gifts of literature is that it allows for the expression of unexpressed thoughts ..." According to Nancy Kress, a character's thoughts can greatly enhance a story: deepening characterization, increasing tension, and widening the scope of a story. As outlined by Jack M. Bickham, thought plays a critical role in both scene and sequel.
Essay-writing
According to Frederick Crews, it is traditional and useful to think of essays as falling into four types, corresponding to four basic functions of prose: description, or picturing; narration, or telling; exposition, or explaining; and argument, or convincing. Susan Anker distinguishes between nine different modes of essay writing: narration, or writing that tells stories; illustration, or writing that gives examples; description, or writing that creates pictures in words; process analysis, or writing that explains how things happen; classification, or writing that sorts things into groups; definition, or writing that tells what something means; comparison and contrast, or writing that shows similarities and differences; cause and effect, or writing that explains reasons or results; and argument, or writing that persuades.
See also
- Literary modes, Northrop Frye's theory of fictional and thematic types by mode
Notes
- Baldick (2004)
- Elam (1980, p. 111)
- Marshall (1998, pp. 143–165)
- Morrell (2006, p. 127)
- Selgin (2007, p. 38)
- Marshall (1998, pp. 144–146)
- Marshall (1998, p. 145)
- Browne & King (2004, p. 12)
- Selgin (2007, p. 31)
- Card (1988, pp. 140–142)
- Browne & King (2004, p. 117)
- Kress (2003, p. 38)
- Bickham (1993, pp. 12–22, 50–58)
- Crews (1977, p. 13)
- Anker (2004, pp. 97–246)
References
- Anker, Susan (2004), Real Writing with Readings: Paragraphs and Essays for College, Work, and Everyday Life (3rd ed.), Boston: Bedford Books, ISBN 0-312-40521-9
- Aristotle. 1974. "Poetics". Trans. S.H. Butcher. In Dramatic Theory and Criticism: Greeks to Grotowski. Ed. Bernard F. Dukore. Florence, KY: Heinle & Heinle. ISBN 0-03-091152-4. p. 31-55.
- Baldick, Chris (2004), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-860883-7
- Bickham, Jack M. (1993). Scene & Structure. Writer's Digest Books. pp. 12–22, 50–58. ISBN 0-89879-551-6.
- Browne, Renni; King, Dave (2004). Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print. New York: Harper Resource. ISBN 0-06-054569-0.
- Card, Orson Scott (1988). Character & Viewpoint. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. ISBN 0-89879-307-6.
- Crews, Frederick (1977), The Random House Handbook (2nd ed.), New York: Random House, ISBN 0-394-31211-2
- Elam, Keir (1980), The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama, London and New York: Methuen, ISBN 0-416-72060-9
- Kress, Nancy (August 2003). Writer's Digest. p. 38.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Marshall, Evan (1998). The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. pp. 143–165. ISBN 1-58297-062-9.
- Morrell, Jessica Page (2006). Between the Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. p. 127. ISBN 978-1-58297-393-7.
- Selgin, Peter (2007). By Cunning & Craft: Sound Advice and Practical Wisdom for fiction writers. Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-58297-491-0.
In literature and other artistic media a mode is an unspecific critical term usually designating a broad but identifiable kind of literary method mood or manner that is not tied exclusively to a particular form or genre Examples are the satiric mode the ironic the comic the pastoral and the didactic HistoryIn his Poetics the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle uses mode in a more specific sense Kinds of poetry he writes may be differentiated in three ways according to their medium of imitation according to their objects of imitation and according to their mode or manner of imitation section I For the medium being the same and the objects the same the poet may imitate by narration in which case he can either take another personality as Homer does or speak in his own person unchanged or he may present all his characters as living and moving before us section III According to this definition narrative and dramatic are modes of fiction This is not merely a technical distinction but constitutes rather one of the cardinal principles of a poetics of the drama as opposed to one of narrative fiction The distinction is indeed implicit in Aristotle s differentiation of representational modes namely diegesis narrative description versus mimesis direct imitation It has as we shall see important consequences for both the logic and the language of the drama Fiction writingFiction is a form of narrative one of the four rhetorical modes of discourse Fiction writing also has distinct forms of expression or modes each with its own purposes and conventions Agent and author Evan Marshall identifies five fiction writing modes action summary dialogue feelings thoughts and background Author and writing instructor Jessica Page Morrell lists six delivery modes for fiction writing action exposition description dialogue summary and transition Author Peter Selgin refers to methods including action dialogue thoughts summary scene and description Summarization Summarization also referred to as summary narration or narrative summary is the fiction writing mode whereby story events are condensed The reader is told what happens rather than having it shown In the fiction writing axiom Show don t tell the tell is often in the form of summarization Summarization has important uses To connect one part of a story to another To report events whose details aren t important To telescope time To convey an emotional state over an extended period of time To vary the rhythm and texture of the writing The main advantage of summary is that it takes up less space According to author Orson Scott Card either action or summarization could be right either could be wrong Factors such as rhythm pace and tone come into play The objective is to get the right balance between telling versus showing action versus summarization Introspection Introspection also referred to as internal dialogue interior monologue self talk is the fiction writing mode used to convey a character s thoughts As explained by Renni Browne and Dave King One of the great gifts of literature is that it allows for the expression of unexpressed thoughts According to Nancy Kress a character s thoughts can greatly enhance a story deepening characterization increasing tension and widening the scope of a story As outlined by Jack M Bickham thought plays a critical role in both scene and sequel Essay writingAccording to Frederick Crews it is traditional and useful to think of essays as falling into four types corresponding to four basic functions of prose description or picturing narration or telling exposition or explaining and argument or convincing Susan Anker distinguishes between nine different modes of essay writing narration or writing that tells stories illustration or writing that gives examples description or writing that creates pictures in words process analysis or writing that explains how things happen classification or writing that sorts things into groups definition or writing that tells what something means comparison and contrast or writing that shows similarities and differences cause and effect or writing that explains reasons or results and argument or writing that persuades See alsoLiterary modes Northrop Frye s theory of fictional and thematic types by modeNotesBaldick 2004 Elam 1980 p 111 Marshall 1998 pp 143 165 Morrell 2006 p 127 Selgin 2007 p 38 Marshall 1998 pp 144 146 Marshall 1998 p 145 Browne amp King 2004 p 12 Selgin 2007 p 31 Card 1988 pp 140 142 Browne amp King 2004 p 117 Kress 2003 p 38 Bickham 1993 pp 12 22 50 58 Crews 1977 p 13 Anker 2004 pp 97 246 ReferencesAnker Susan 2004 Real Writing with Readings Paragraphs and Essays for College Work and Everyday Life 3rd ed Boston Bedford Books ISBN 0 312 40521 9 Aristotle 1974 Poetics Trans S H Butcher In Dramatic Theory and Criticism Greeks to Grotowski Ed Bernard F Dukore Florence KY Heinle amp Heinle ISBN 0 03 091152 4 p 31 55 Baldick Chris 2004 The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 860883 7 Bickham Jack M 1993 Scene amp Structure Writer s Digest Books pp 12 22 50 58 ISBN 0 89879 551 6 Browne Renni King Dave 2004 Self Editing for Fiction Writers How to Edit Yourself into Print New York Harper Resource ISBN 0 06 054569 0 Card Orson Scott 1988 Character amp Viewpoint Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books ISBN 0 89879 307 6 Crews Frederick 1977 The Random House Handbook 2nd ed New York Random House ISBN 0 394 31211 2 Elam Keir 1980 The Semiotics of Theatre and Drama London and New York Methuen ISBN 0 416 72060 9 Kress Nancy August 2003 Writer s Digest p 38 a href wiki Template Cite news title Template Cite news cite news a Missing or empty title help Marshall Evan 1998 The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books pp 143 165 ISBN 1 58297 062 9 Morrell Jessica Page 2006 Between the Lines Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books p 127 ISBN 978 1 58297 393 7 Selgin Peter 2007 By Cunning amp Craft Sound Advice and Practical Wisdom for fiction writers Cincinnati OH Writer s Digest Books p 38 ISBN 978 1 58297 491 0
