Picturing Theology

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P i c t u r i n g T h e o l o g y

Checklist of Narrative Elements (continued)

V. What Insight Do the Characters Give Us as a “ Commentary on Living ”?

A. Reality: What is the view of reality portrayed in the story and the character? B. Morality: What constitutes good and bad in the context of this story? C. Value: What is of ultimate concern and value in the story?

VI. How Does the Story Unify Itself in its Various Parts?

A. How does the organization of the story contribute to its unity? B. What is the sequence of events in this story? (Beginning, Middle, and End) C. In what way does the story’s end resolve the questions raised at the beginning?

VII. How Are the Characters Tested , and What Choices Do They Make?

A. What is the dilemma/problem/conflict the protagonist is seeking to overcome? B. What character quality is tested in the protagonist ? C. What alternative life choices are open to the characters in the story? D. Which decisions do the characters make, and what is the result of their decisions? VIII. How Do the Characters Progress and Grow (or Decline and Fall) in the Story? A. Where do the characters begin in the story? B. How do the experiences of the character affect their development? C. Where do the individual characters eventually wind up as a result of their experiences, and the choices they made within them?