central narrative tension
English Meaning & Definitions
The primary, unresolved conflict or core question in a story that sustains the audience's interest and drives the plot toward a resolution.
- “The central narrative tension of the novel revolves around whether the protagonist will sacrifice her morals to save her family.”
- “Without a clear central narrative tension, the film felt like a series of disconnected scenes rather than a cohesive journey.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “central narrative tension”.
A compound term derived from 'central' (Latin 'centralis', from 'centrum'), 'narrative' (Latin 'narrativus', from 'narrare' to tell), and 'tension' (Latin 'tensio', from 'tendere' to stretch). The phrase emerged in 20th-century literary theory and screenwriting pedagogy to describe the primary conflict that drives a story's plot forward.
Think of a 'central' rubber band stretched ('tension') across the entire 'narrative' (story) that keeps it from sagging.
Frequently Asked Questions About “central narrative tension”
1. What is the meaning of “central narrative tension” in English?
In English, central narrative tension (noun) is defined as: “The primary, unresolved conflict or core question in a story that sustains the audience's interest and drives the plot toward a resolution.”.
2. How do you use “central narrative tension” in a sentence?
“The central narrative tension of the novel revolves around whether the protagonist will sacrifice her morals to save her family.”
3. What are English synonyms of “central narrative tension”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “central narrative tension”?
A compound term derived from 'central' (Latin 'centralis', from 'centrum'), 'narrative' (Latin 'narrativus', from 'narrare' to tell), and 'tension' (Latin 'tensio', from 'tendere' to stretch). The phrase emerged in 20th-century literary theory and screenwriting pedagogy to describe the primary conflict that drives a story's plot forward.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.