Narrative Character Maps

I like the idea of tracking participants/characters and how they interact with other character over the span of several stories/episodes. But I need a bit more help in how to read the map. What does the moving of the character's line indicate? Does further up in the map indicate foreground (spotlight) and further down background? But then why for example is Boaz or Job a straight line? Boaz is not mentioned in the Bible text until chapter 2. So why is he up there already in the earlier episodes/events? Job is not always active through out the book of Job. Why does his line not weave in and out with Eliaphaz, Bildad and Zophar? For me it would make more sense that Job is up when he speaks (is active, in the foreground) and the other three are up whenever they speak respectively. But then maybe I have a different understanding of tracking participants. Maybe what is done here is mapping prominence of characters throughout the story, not mapping prominence as the text gives them prominence. For example, Job's wife's line goes through the whole map. Yes, she is there the whole time, isn't she. But she is not in the text the whole time. The narrator brings her in at one time, fades her out, and then she is not mentioned till the very end of the story. So if the map would represent how participants are introduced, removed from stage and brought up again in the text, then you wouldn't have a continues line for Job's wife.

Also, I'm wondering whether there is a way to show who is the VIP (major participant) of a story. And this may change from episode to episode or event to event. But maybe the line of the character that is most prominent for that episode could be bolder for that part of the map than the other lines.

Lastly, I'd like to ask whether it is possible to insert fine vertical lines in the map to visually separate the different events. I know it highlights the event when I click on it etc. but since it is a visual aid I'd like to see where a new event starts and ends.

This is not criticism, just a few thoughts that I have as a feedback. I want to know how to use the tool rightly. Often time when we see a new tool we have certain expectations. And they are not always met because your purpose in putting a tool together might not line up with our purposes in using the tool. So I want to learn about your purpose, your thoughts behind the tool.

Thanks

Graham, this is great. Thanks for that explanation. Just knowing how to read the chart, it suddenly makes sense. Thank you!

Bob Pritchett said:

This is an attempt to 'map' the characters (not the geography), not to just re-tell the story visually. (The "Bible People Visual Timelines" are more of a visualization of the story line, always showing just what's happening in that episode. See logosres:interactive:life-of-timelines;pos=index.html$3FincludeRaygun$23!$2Fdavid)

These narrative character maps were inspired by http://xkcd.com/657/ -- we just thought the idea would be useful for following biblical narratives, too. I'd love more feedback / ideas. Should we stick with the current methodology? Change it? Do more of them? Which stories?

Bob, thanks for jumping in and providing some background. It helps to know the idea behind the tool. As far as feedback, it depends on the purpose of the tool, what you want to achieve with it. I obviously read something into it that wasn't there. But I guess I took it from this page as it says: "you'll be able to trace how that character enters the narrative spotlight and later fades into the background." Now to me the terminology used of a character moving from spotlight to background sounds like participant tracking in the text (part of discourse analysis). But maybe some of that could still be incorporated. For example, when the character is not part of the text use a dotted line, when he is part of the text a full line. When the character is the major participant of the story indicate that by making the line bold for that section of the map. Whatever you do, please provide sufficient documentation so one knows how to interpret it.

Glad to hear what others think and suggest too.

I noticed the product page at https://www.logos.com/product/45501/narrative-character-maps mentions "Trace the missionary journey’s of Paul and other early church leaders in the first century."  Are you going to add more maps or do we need to buy more resources to see things like Paul's missionary journeys?

MJ. Smith said:

They will be added

Woohoo thanks!!