Chapter 14, Questions 1-6

1. Discuss Labov's six rules and give examples from a conversation you've had.
-Abstract: overview of story (example: writing a summary of the chapter that
I read.
-Orientation: telling "who" "what" "where" "when" "why" of the story (example:
When I was told a story that happened over the weekend, the person
explained who was there, where it was, when it happened, and what
had happened)
-Complicating action: the sequences of events (example: When telling a story
I always start from the beginning of it and tell it in
the order that happened)
-Evaluation: importance and meaning of events (example: the emphasis that people
put on different words let the listener know that it is important
and the listener should remember it)
-Resolution: how the story ended (example: when reading a book, how I feel about
it always depends on if the ending is good and satisfying)
-Coda: returning the story to present time. (example: I was told a story about
a drunken night and at the end the person brought it back to how the
drunk person was feeling at the present time)

2. Can the order of events in a conversation be changed without affecting the meaning? explain.
If the order of events is changed it may complicate how the listener is understanding it. If the outcome remains the same then the message will stay the same but if the story's order is told out of sequence then the listener may not fully get the message.

3. How can a film or television story be considered a "glorified" conversation?
Because these are conversations that others create specifially for us to hear.

4. Does dialogue in films and other media narratives follow Labov's rules? Justify your answer.
I think they follow most of the rules. For example, it would be hard to fulfill the "coda" rule because if a film is being viewed 10 or 20 years after it is made, returning the film to that present time would be impossible. It would relate it back to the present time in which it was made. Other then that I believe that they follow the rules. The abstract would be the previews that air before it is released. Or on the case of the film it gives a brief overview.

5. Narratives are one way we make sense of the world. How does this work?
Narratives gives us a window into others' world and lives. Today we are able to see what is happening half way around the world because of TV or books. This makes it easier for us to understand the world as a whole and not just our part of the world.

6. What implications does the importance of narratives have for the mass media?
It is important because it tells how to reach out to mass amounts of people, how to get your message across in the easiest fashion.