The Overall Shape of a Narrative
The story arc is a term used to describe the entire trajectory of a narrative. It is the broadest view of a story’s structure, representing the complete path from an initial state of equilibrium, through a period of conflict and transformation, to a final resolution. The ‘arc’ metaphor is useful because it suggests a shape—a gradual rise in tension, a peak, and a gradual fall. This structure can apply not only to a single film but also to a character’s journey across a multi-film franchise or a season of television.
The story arc is a synthesis of all the other moving parts of a narrative. It includes the plot arc (the external sequence of events) and the various character arcs (the internal journeys of the characters). For a story to feel complete and satisfying, its arc must show significant change. The world, the characters, or both must be in a different state at the end than they were at the beginning. This transformation is the ultimate point of the story.
‘Story Arc’ vs. ‘Narrative Arc’
In everyday use, the terms story arc and narrative arc are used interchangeably to mean the overall structure of a story. They both refer to the familiar pattern of setup, rising action, climax, and resolution. However, a subtle distinction can be made in more academic or technical discussions:
- Story Arc can be thought of as the sequence of events in their pure, chronological order. It is the raw material of the plot—the what happened. This is sometimes referred to by the Russian formalist term fabula.
- Narrative Arc can refer to the way those events are presented to the audience. The narrative arc is about the telling, the structure of the plot as it unfolds on screen, which may be non-chronological.
For example, the story arc of the film Memento (2000) is a straightforward chronological tale of revenge. However, its narrative arc is famously fractured and told in reverse, creating a completely different experience for the viewer. For most general purposes, though, the two terms can be considered synonyms.