Significance of the historical narrative

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

7 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

04/07/2009

Category :

Social studies

Sub category :

Psychology

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Summary :

Introduction
Symbolically logical arguments based on supporting claims and thesis
History as a form of science
The chronicle as the most efficient means to convey a history
The study of human history and interaction
Critics of the narrative
The coherence of a narrative
The relationship between art and life
Conclusion

Abstract

In the realm of historical recounting and reporting, the narrative form has presented itself over the course of time as both a controversial and, at times, necessary means of addressing the past of nature and society. It is not that historians attempt to embellish or fictionalize the past events in order to ease their task of recounting them, it is more so that they look towards the very essence of human interaction and language in an attempt to find the best means by which they can convey a particular series of events or people. A narrative is loosely defined as the medium by which a series of events, whether factual or not, is presented to the intended audience. Derived from the Latin verb narrare, meaning "to recount", the narrative is simply a means of communication that humans have established over the course of time to convey simple elements of both fact and fiction. Controversy arises, however, when the lines of distinction between these two states of reality become blurred either within the text itself or upon critical examination and interpretation of the claims within the text. The role of narrative in history has become a point of contention with philosophers, historians, and authors alike as they attempt to settle the score as to what is the most effective and truthful manner of reporting human experience. The debate over the conflicting realms of truth and fiction within a historical narrative has very subtle but distinct intricacies that, upon examination, provide an interesting insight into human thought, interaction, and history.