Littérature - Narratologie

a literary device in which an attempt at serious or elevated writing or speech is undermined by an incongruous or absurd use of language or imagery

désillusion, déception

the most significant moment in a story, play, movie, etc. with a high dramatic suspense

apogée

a literary principle that states that every element introduced in a story must be necessary and relevant to the plot or it should be removed

le fusil de Tchekhov, le principe de Tchekhov

a literary technique that uses humor to interrupt serious or tragic scenes in order to provide a temporary release from emotional tension

soulagement comique, intermède humoristique

a plot device or a literary technique that is used to resolve a difficult or complicated situation in an unexpected and somewhat unrealistic way

stratagème, artifice

the last section of a literary or dramatic piece where the plot is concluded and all the matters of the work is explained

dénouement

a literary device where a sudden and unexpected event or character is introduced to resolve a problem in a story

dieu ex machina, dieu venant de la machine

the act of adding extra details or exaggerating certain aspects of a story or description to make it more interesting or appealing

embellissement, fioriture

the final part of a story, movie, etc.

fin

a person, place, or thing after whom or which something is named

éponyme

a plot or character element that is introduced but never fully explained or resolved, leaving the audience with unanswered questions or loose ends

suspense, élément en suspens

the time and place in which the story of a movie, play, etc. is taking place

cadre

an ending to an episode of a series that keeps the audience in suspense

suspense, cliffhanger

the basic idea, concept, or foundation upon which a story is built, and often includes the central conflict, characters, setting, and overall tone or genre of the narrative

prémisse, hypothèse

a recurring element that is the main idea or subject in a literary or artistic piece

thème

the freedom to deviate from facts, rules or conventional forms practiced by an artist or author in order to gain a desired effect

licence poétique

a book, movie, play, etc. that continues and extends the story of an earlier one

suite

unwanted information about how the plot of a movie, game, book, etc. develops or ends that can ruin one's enjoyment

spoiler

the main theme or the continuous line in which a narrative develops

arc narratif, arc scénaristique, story arc

the plot of a movie, play, novel, etc.

intrigue, scénario, histoire

the continuous flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations of a character in a seemingly unstructured and spontaneous manner

flux de conscience, courant de conscience

a series of events in a novel, movie, etc. that is separate from the main story and is less important but is linked to it

intrigue secondaire

a genre of literature, film, or entertainment that features action-packed adventures of daring swordplay, romance, and excitement, often set in historical or fantastical settings

roman de cape et d'épée, aventure héroïque

a brief summary or overview of the plot, characters, and major events of a book, movie, or other narrative work

synopsis

a common or recurring theme, motif, or device that is used in literature, art, or other forms of creative expression

tropes, thème récurrent

a brief, impressionistic scene or sketch in literature or film that focuses on a particular moment or character

anecdote

a condition experienced by writers in which they are unable to produce new written material, despite having the desire or obligation to do so

blocage de l'écrivain, syndrome de la page blanche

any material in a narrative that serves to pad or extend the length of the story without advancing the plot or developing the characters

matériau de remplissage, élément de remplissage

a scene in a story line that interrupts the chronological order and takes the narrative back in time

retour en arrière

a literary technique in which an introductory narrative serves as a frame for another story or a series of shorter stories

récit-cadre

a literary device that reveals a character's inner thoughts and feelings directly to the reader

monologue intérieur, monologue de pensées

to cause the death of a character in a work of fiction, typically for dramatic effects or to advance the plot

tuer, éliminer

a type of storytelling in which events are presented in a sequential and chronological order, following a cause-and-effect pattern and progressing toward a resolution or endpoint

narration linéaire, récit linéaire

a type of storytelling that does not follow a chronological sequence, instead jumping back and forth in time or presenting events out of order

narration non linéaire, récit non linéaire

a type of storytelling that allows the audience or user to actively participate in the story, making decisions that affect the direction or outcome of the narrative

narration interactive, récit interactif

a tedious or boring section of a work of literature or other artistic work, characterized by a lack of action, tension, or interest

longueur, partie ennuyante

a relationship dynamic commonly found in stories, where three characters are romantically involved with each other in a way that creates tension, conflict, and difficult choices

triangle amoureux, triangle de l'amour

a storytelling device often used in film and literature, referring to an object, goal, or other motivator that drives the plot and characters' actions, but is often irrelevant or unimportant to the overall story itself

MacGuffin

to create or embellish a story or a person's life with mythological or heroic elements

mythologiser, mythifier

to provide a spoken or written description of an event, story, etc.

raconter

the way of telling or explaining a story, particularly in a movie, novel, etc.

narration

a story or an account of something especially one that is told in a movie, novel, etc.

récit

a plotline or a story element that runs throughout a larger narrative, connecting different events and characters together, often with a unifying theme or motif

fil narratif, trame narrative

the rhythm, tempo, and speed at which a story unfolds, and how it affects the audience's engagement and emotional response to the narrative

rythme, tempo

to attribute human characteristics, traits, or qualities to a non-human object, concept, or animal

personnifier, incarner

the events that are crucial to the formation and continuity of a story in a movie, play, novel, etc.

intrigue

a situation where the plot of a story deviates from its original trajectory

dérive de l'intrigue, écart de l'intrigue

an apparent mistake or inconsistency in the narrative of a book, motion picture, etc.

incohérence dans intrigue, incohérence dans le scénario

a sudden and unexpected development in the storyline of a narrative, often at a crucial moment

rebondissement, twist

a narrative element, often used in literature or film, that is employed by the author or screenwriter to advance the story or create a particular effect

dispositif narratif, élément de l'intrigue

a plot device where a character uses the exact wording of a rule or agreement to avoid its intended meaning or purpose

subtilité, chicanerie

anything that is intended to take people's focus away from what is important

élément trompeur, leurre

a term coined by J.R.R. Tolkien to describe a sudden and unexpected turn of events in a story that results in a positive and joyful outcome

eucatastrophe, catastrophe heureuse

an instance of showing a scene or event that will happen later in a movie, TV episode, etc. interrupting the chronological order of the plot

avance rapide

a literary technique in which a narrative begins in the middle of the story, rather than at the beginning

in medias res, dans le milieu des choses

a literary device used at the beginning of a story to capture the reader's attention and engage their interest

crochet narratif, accroche narrative

a situation in which one believes that an unfortunate event that has happened to someone is well deserved

justice poétique, rétribution poétique

a hypothetical situation which presents a moral dilemma where a person or authority must decide whether to use extreme measures to prevent a catastrophic event from occurring

scénario de bombe à retardement, situation de dilemme moral

a literary technique used to make the familiar seem unfamiliar or strange in order to encourage the reader to see the world in a new way

défamilarisation, estrangement (littéraire)

a narrative technique in which a story is told from multiple perspectives or points of view

multiperspectivité, vue multiple

the struggle between opposing forces in a story, which drives the narrative forward and creates tension and drama

conflit, affrontement

a written or spoken line that is spoken by a character in a play, movie, book, or other work of fiction

dialogue, entretien