Types of Chronicles (with examples)

Chronic types

There are different types of chronicles according to the type of text to which they belong, the type of information they narrate and the author's approach. For instance: sports chronicle, literary chronicle, correspondent chronicle.

The chronicle is a narrative genre that has elements of journalism, because it reports events that occurred in the reality, and elements of literature, because literary devices are used to narrate these events.

According to the type of text in which it is inscribed, the chronicles are classified into journalistic chronicles, literary chronicle and historical chronicle and according to the author's approach, in white chronicle and chronicle interpretive.

Types of chronicles according to the type of text to which they belong

Journalistic chronicle

The journalistic chronicle is a text that usually appears in newspapers, although it can also be published in a book. In this chronicle the events are narrated in chronological order and different resources are used to make a detailed description so that the reader can account for everything that occurred.

The journalist usually presents himself as a witness to the events or the testimonies of participants and contextual information are usually included.

There are different types of journalistic chronicles that are classified according to their content or according to the type of information they narrate:

Literary chronicle

The literary chronicle it's a literary genre which is difficult to define because it is so versatile. However, it can be said that this type of chronicle can include fictional elements and literary resources, such as descriptions and rhetorical figures, to narrate real events.

In addition, these chronicles tend to present more subjective positions than journalistic chronicles and in many cases, it is not intended to convey an objective truth, but rather the information is presented as another truth possible.

Unlike the journalistic chronicle, in the literary one, specific events are not always narrated, because Sometimes it describes what a place is like, what people's lives are like, what a type of work is like, among others stuff.

Historical chronicle

In the historical chronicle, the most important events of a place, a person or an event are narrated chronologically. Generally, the author of this type of text is a witness or a person who lived at the same time that the events occurred.

In addition, mention is usually made of the context in which the events are registered and documents, testimonies, letters and other types of texts are usually included. In many cases, these texts contain information that may be false, because myths, legends and rumors that were circulating at the time are also included.

Types of chronicle according to the author's approach

Depending on whether the author's approach is objective or subjective, the chronicle can be white or interpretive.

White Chronicle

The facts are narrated objectively. This type of chronicle is very similar to the news in a newspaper, but contains the typical elements of the chronicle, such as the use of literary resources. News reports often take this approach.

Interpretive Chronicle

The facts are narrated, but an opinion or a value judgment is added about what happened, that is, it is narrated from a subjective point of view. Police or event reports often take this approach.

Examples of types of chronicles

1. The future of Spain is played between egos and half wills (political chronicle, The Impartial, Spain). It narrates the current state of the representatives of the government of Spain.
2. On board the ‘Brexit’ train (correspondent chronicle, The country, Spain). It narrates the journey of a journalist on a London train, in which she interviews people to ask their opinion about Brexit and whether they will vote for or against.
3. Chronicle of an unforgettable night (sports chronicle, Ole, Argentina). It is narrated how Independiente, an Argentine soccer team, won a match and went on to the Copa Libertadores.
4. A strong earthquake unleashes the 'tsunami' psychosis in Indonesia, causing at least 82 deaths. (black chronicle or of events, Euro Press). The events that occurred in connection with an earthquake in Sumatra are narrated.
5. Chronicle of an injustice (judicial chronicle, The West, Colombia). In this chronicle, the journalist, a lawyer, narrates the events of a lawsuit that he filed in the Constitutional Court in relation to the health of the people who are affected by the mining activity.
6. Mud that builds the future (social chronicle, The Coast, Argentina). This chronicle tells what the work and life of a man who is dedicated to making bricks is like.
7. Spanish Aguasfuertes by Robert Arlt (travel chronicles). They are chronicles of the trips that the writer made in Spain that were published in the newspaper The world. These texts describe the places, landscapes, how people live, customs, the most touristic places and the least touristic ones, among other things, from a critical perspective.
8. Operation Massacre by Rodolfo Walsh (literary chronicle). This book relates the investigation carried out by the journalist and author of the book regarding an illegal shooting of civilians that occurred on June 9, 1956.
9. Cold-blooded by Truman Capote (literary chronicle). This novel narrates the investigation that the writer made in relation to a crime that took place in Kansas, United States.
10. What to have by Tom Wolf (literary chronicle). In this novel an episode of the space race that took place before the arrival on the Moon is narrated. This episode is the selection made to determine who the astronauts would be and what those people should be like.
11. Latin Chronicle of the Kings of Castile of the bishop of Osma Juan de Soria (historical chronicle). In this chronicle the events that occurred in the reigns of Alfonso VIII and Fernando III are narrated.
12. The Two Years Marathon: more than a race, a collective celebration (white chronicle, The nation, Argentina). This chronicle objectively narrates a race that begins on December 31 and ends on January 1.
13. Institute and the heart of the fan will always say present: chronicle of a happy return to the field (interpretive chronicle, The voice, Argentina). In this chronicle the events that occurred in a soccer match are narrated and there is a subjective view, because the author gives his opinion on what is happening.

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