Narrative Elements: Action
Drafting / / July 04, 2021
Without the emotional movement, you will not be able to tell a story. The antecedents of a conflictive situation were given, with which it was enough for it to develop gradually, until it reached a denouement that completes the narrative.
Action should not be confused with physical movement or agitation; it is about movement of psychological depth. The inconsequential movement is typical of low-quality adventure novels, which only seek wide dissemination for purely commercial purposes.
Juan Rulfo, in El llano en llamas, presents us with a well-accomplished example of narrative action:
"Long live Petronilo Flores!"
The scream came bouncing off the walls of the ravine and went up to where we were. Then he came undone.
For a while, the wind that blew from below brought us a tumult of voices piling up, making a noise just like rising water makes when it rolls over rocky ground. Immediately, coming out of there, another scream twisted around the bend of the ravine, bounced off the walls again and came still with force next to us:
"Long live my general Petronilo Flores!"
We look at each other. La Perra got up slowly, removed the loaded cartridge from her carbine, and put it in her shirt pocket. Then he approached where "the Four" were and said: "Follow me, boys, let's see what bulls we fight!" The four brothers Benavides went behind him, crouching down: only the Bitch was very stiff, with half of her skinny body sticking out above the close.
We are still there without moving. We were lined up at the foot of the canvas, lying on our stomachs, like iguanas warming themselves in the sun.
The stone fence wriggled a lot as it went up and down the hills, and they, La Perra and "los Cuatro", were also wriggling as if they were with their feet locked. So we saw them get lost from our eyes. Then we turned our faces to look up again and we looked at the low branches of the amoles that gave us so much shade.. "(Cf. Complementary bibliography, N? 50)
Erich María Remarque gives a deep human meaning to everything that his characters live and speak; let him tell us about an event in his work Quietly in front:
"The irons are driven into the ground at regular intervals. There are always two men holding a roll, others wind the barbed wire, the disgusting long, thick barbed wire. I have lost the habit of reeling and hurt my hand.
Hours later, we have concluded. But there is still time until the trucks arrive. Most of them go to bed and sleep; I try too; But it's too cold It is noted that we are relatively close to the sea, and the cold wakes one up. Until I finally fall asleep.
And suddenly I wake up with a start: I see myself thrown at the height: I don't know where I am. I'm seeing the stars, the rockets, and for a moment I have the feeling of having fallen asleep in a garden during a party. I do not know if it is dawn or dusk; I see myself lying in a pale cradle, between two lights; I wait for some tender words, which will sound now, some tender and sweet words... I'm crying?
I touch my eyes.. . Thats weird! I am a kid? Smooth skin... This only lasts a moment; I recognize the silhouette of Katczinsky, who is sitting calmly; the veteran, who smokes his pipe, certainly a covered pipe. When he sees that I am awake, he says to me: „,;
"You got a good scare." It was just a wishbone. There he got into those bushes.
I feel. I have the impression of being completely alone. It is good that Katczinsky is near me. He is looking thoughtfully straight ahead. He says:
"Nice fireworks, if they weren't so dangerous.". "{Cf. Further reading. N9 45)