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Three Levels of Narrative

Jon CoffeeJon Coffee

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Use cases

Literature reviewLiterature review

About

The Three Levels of Narrative mind map template breaks down narrative theory into three core layers: Story (the chronological succession of events), Narrative (the discourse or actual words on the page), and Narration (the act of telling the story). Designed for literature students, writers, and educators, this 13-node template explores how these levels interact through Tense, Mood, and Voice. Key structural elements include sub-nodes under Tense—Duration, Frequency, and Order—as well as Distance and Perspective. This cheat sheet provides a clear framework for analyzing any narrative text, making it an essential study tool for narrative theory courses or creative writing workshops.

Terms and Conditions

When to use this template

Literature students and exam candidates

Preparing for a literature exam on narratology

Undergraduate and graduate students in literary studies

Analyzing a novel's narrative structure for a term paper

Creative writers and screenwriters

Planning a story's point of view and temporal structure during novel writing

How to use this template

Step 1

Open and Review Core Structure

Open the template in Xmind to explore the three primary branches of Story, Narrative, and Narration.

Step 2

Input and Elaborate Narrative Details

Replace the placeholder nodes with your specific content while expanding sub-nodes like Tense, Mood, and Voice.

Step 3

Personalize and Export Your Analysis

Customize the visual style with icons and colors before exporting your completed narrative framework as a PDF or image.

Frequently asked questions

The template covers three core narrative levels—Story, Narrative, and Narration—plus their interaction through Tense, Mood, and Voice. It includes sub-concepts like Duration, Frequency, Order, Distance, and Perspective.

Open the .xmind file in Xmind, then replace the example nodes with your own analysis. For instance, map a novel's events under 'Story', its textual presentation under 'Narrative', and the narrator's techniques under 'Narration'.

Yes, the template is fully editable in Xmind (desktop, web, or mobile). You can customize nodes, add notes, and export as PDF or image for printing.

Use the template as a checklist: for each text you analyze, fill in the 'Tense' sub-nodes (Duration, Frequency, Order), identify the 'Voice' and 'Mood', and note how the three levels interact.

Absolutely. Writers can use the 'Story' branch to outline plot events, the 'Narrative' branch to plan discourse structure, and the 'Narration' branch to decide on narrator perspective and distance.

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