TIP OF THE DAY 119: Character maps and timelines
I am adding these posts to the previous tip list L/V 10 Tip of the Day
QUESTION: What means of characterization are identified by Jeannine K. Brown?
ANSWER: from Brown, Jeannine K. The Gospels as Stories: A Narrative Approach to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020.
Considering the techniques of characterization as comprehensively as possible in conversation with various theorists, we can generate the following list. Authors portray their characters through
•What a character says
•What a character does
•What other characters say in relation to that character
•What other characters do in relation to that character
•The narrator’s (implied author’s) more direct characterization
□Through explicit identification of a character’s attributes or motivations
□Through explicit identification of a character’s social status, gender, vocation, appearance
□Through comparison with other characters
•Social realities outside the narrative relevant to the character, construed by readers
•Other potentially relevant points of comparison or illumination: settings, plot, themes
What emerges from this list is the reality that characterization routinely happens as characters are in relation to other entities—whether other characters, the narrator, other features of the narrative (i.e., plot and theme), or even its readers[1]
QUESTION: How does Huw Thomas recommend tracing a role?
ANSWER: from Thomas, Huw. In the Way of the Story: Reading Biblical Narrative. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2021.
Using the sort of framework introduced above, the role of a particular character, running through the course of a narrative, can be explored. To do this, the reader could simply draw a line diagram, showing the progress of a story, and consider the role a particular character has played in that storyline. This could be for a large swathe of narrative, such as a Gospel, or a more focused, single story. A focus can be what they do and what is effectively “done to” them, in a way that can highlight their agency and how they react. How it is done doesn’t really matter—the reader can just have a go. Particular focus can be placed on noting:
• how they enter the story
• what they do
• what is done to them
• how they leave the story.
The rich young man (Mark 10:17–22) bounds in and fills the opening moments of his story, responding enthusiastically to the high requirement of keeping all the commandments (Mark 10:20) before falling silent and leaving in a state of shock or anger. As readers we may wonder what he expected and also to what degree he expected his expectations to remain in control of the exchange.[2]
Note that the Narrative Character Maps are superb at visualizing some of this information. Perplexity gives the following description of their use:
Character narrative maps are visual tools that help readers understand and track the complex relationships, movements, and interactions of characters throughout a story. Here's how to read and interpret these maps:
Understanding the Layout
Character narrative maps typically have a horizontal axis representing time or the progression of the story, and a vertical axis showing different locations or levels of prominence within the narrative.
Reading Character Lines
Continuous Lines: Each character is represented by a line that runs through the map. The presence of a line indicates the character's involvement in the story.
Vertical Movement: Indicates geographical changes or shifts in the character's prominence within the narrative.
Horizontal Movement: Represents the character's progression through time in the story.
Interpreting Character Interactions
Converging Lines: When character lines come together, it often signifies interaction or shared scenes.
Diverging Lines: Indicates characters separating or moving to different locations.
Analyzing Character Prominence
Line Thickness: May be used to show a character's importance in a particular scene or part of the story.
Vertical Position: Characters higher on the map may be more prominent or central to the current part of the narrative.
Using Interactive Features
Many digital character maps offer interactive elements:
Hovering: Hovering over a character's name or line may reveal additional information.
Navigation Tools: Some maps allow users to move forward or backward through events in the story.
Text Integration: Links to relevant biblical text or other source material may be provided for each event or character interaction.
Additional Elements
Event Markers: Vertical lines or markers often indicate significant events or changes in the narrative.
Color Coding: Different colors may be used to categorize characters or highlight specific aspects of the story.
By understanding these elements, readers can use character narrative maps to visualize complex storylines, track character development, and gain insights into the structure and flow of narratives.3
QUESTION: List the few characters for which Logos/Verbum offers Bible People Visual Timelines and/or Narrative Character Maps.
ANSWER: Manually created.
Name | BPVT | NCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jesus Christ | Yes | Yes |
2 | David | Yes | |
3 | Moses | Yes | |
4 | Abraham | Yes | Yes |
5 | Jacob | Yes | |
6 | Solomon | ||
7 | Saul (king) | ||
8 | Aaron | ||
9 | Joshua | ||
10 | Samuel | ||
11 | Elijah | ||
12 | Paul | Yes | |
13 | Peter | ||
14 | John | ||
15 | Isaac | Yes | |
16 | Joseph (son of Jacob) | ||
17 | Jeremiah | ||
18 | Daniel | ||
19 | Ezekiel | ||
20 | Isaiah | ||
21 | Judas Maccabeus | ||
22 | Tobit | ||
23 | Judith | ||
24 | Judah | ||
25 | Esau | ||
26 | Elisha | ||
27 | Mary (mother of Jesus) | ||
28 | Noah | ||
Ruth | Yes | ||
Ezra | Yes | ||
Job | Yes | ||
1 Kings 1-2 | Yes | ||
Acts | Yes | ||
1 Samuel | Yes |
[1] Jeannine K. Brown, The Gospels as Stories: A Narrative Approach to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020), 72–73.
[2] Huw Thomas, In the Way of the Story: Reading Biblical Narrative (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2021).
3 and https://thebrieflab.com/blog/the-narrative-map-what-it-is-and-how-to-us-it/ and and https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/character-maps and and https://www.logos.com/product/45501/narrative-character-maps and and https://engagingandeffective.com/creating-character-maps/ and and https://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/printouts/character and and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIfAtyVimM4
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."