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In which fictional narrative is the protagonist a perpetually confused idealist with romantic yearnings?

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narrative

American  

[nar-uh-tiv] / ˈnær ə tɪv /

noun

• narratives
  plural

1. a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.

   Synonyms:

   tale, chronicle

2. a book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.

3. the art, technique, or process of narrating, or of telling a story.

   Somerset Maugham was a master of narrative.

4. a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular viewpoint or thesis.

   to rewrite the prevailing narrative about masculinity; the narrative that our public schools are failing.

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adjective

1. consisting of or being a narrative.

   a narrative poem.

2. of or relating to narration, or the telling of a story.

   My English teacher's narrative skill makes characters seem to come to life.

3. Fine Arts. representing stories or events pictorially or sculpturally.

   narrative painting.

narrative British  

/ ˈnærətɪv /

noun

1. an account, report, or story, as of events, experiences, etc

2. the part of a literary work that relates events

3. the process or technique of narrating

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adjective

1. telling a story

   a narrative poem

2. of or relating to narration

   narrative art

Synonym Usage

Narrative, account, recital, history are terms for a story of an event or events. Narrative is the general term (for a story long or short; of past, present, or future; factual or imagined; told for any purpose; and with or without much detail). The other three terms apply primarily to factual stories of time already past. An account is usually told informally, often for entertainment, with emphasis on details of action, whether about an incident or a series of happenings. A recital is an extended narrative usually with an informative purpose, emphasizing accuracy and exhaustive details of facts and figures. A history, usually written and at some length, is characterized by a tracing of causes and effects, and by an attempt to estimate, evaluate, and interpret facts.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonnarrative
  adjective
• seminarrative
  adjective
• narratively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• narratives
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of narrative

First recorded in 1445–55; from Middle French narratif (adjective and noun), from Late Latin narrātīvus “narration” (noun), “suitable for narration” (adjective), from narrāt(us) “related, told” (past participle of narrāre “to relate, tell, say”) + -īvus, adjective suffix; equivalent to narrate ( def. ) + -ive ( def. )

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Explanation

A narrative is a story that you write or tell to someone, usually in great detail. A narrative can be a work of poetry or prose, or even song, theater, or dance. Often a narrative is meant to include the "whole story." A summary will give a few key details and then the narrative will delve into the details. "I hate to interrupt your narrative," is a polite way of stopping someone in the middle of a story. The origin of this noun is the Latin adjective narrativus, from narrare "to tell," from gnarus "knowing." It is related to our English verb know.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

narrative narratives

Fans of “The Good Wife” or “The Good Fight” are familiar with how the Kings turned emerging tech issues — particularly ones involving Google, Amazon or Facebook — into narrative catalysts for cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

It’s no doubt a concession to the intensifying public narrative that no one likes what Netflix has to offer these days.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

The film’s narrative sweep encompasses three protagonists in three separate periods: Carlos in 1932, Sebastián in 1937 and Alberto in 2017.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

He fueled the “Talarico is missing” narrative from the stage and through his tip line.

From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026

He would write it after the war, a narrative of Biafra’s difficult victory, an indictment of the world.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Barrot said French diplomatic missions were trying to put across the French case "so that we have our own narratives to disseminate, rather than being subjected to those of others."

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

The chronological installation begins with Evans’s first two pen-and-ink drawings from about 1935: abstract radiating eyes, spirals, zigzags and squiggles—feverish doodles resembling ancient pictographic narratives set down in a trance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

The script by Iñárritu, Sabina Berman and “Birdman” writers Alexander Dinelaris and Nicolás Giacobone is a trio of nesting narratives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

The embassy said Iran "reserves the right to take appropriate legal measures, as necessary, to safeguard the rights and interests of the country and its people in response to misleading and damaging media narratives".

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

People appeared and disappeared, narratives stopped and started.

From "The Marvels" by Brian Selznick

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Related Words

• account
• anecdote
• book
• chronicle
• chronology
• description
• detail
• fiction
• history
• narration
• plot
• version

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