3. The Structures of Narrative Imagination

The article discusses the connection between genetic and narratological research using the example of a plot outline from Theodor Fontane's novel ‘Die Poggenpuhls’. It is demonstrated that the application of narratological categories can help to understand the structural conditions that determine the imagination of the narrated world. The outline already exhibits specific characteristics of realistic narration. It becomes clear, for example, that Fontane is guided by the principle of the scene in structuring his plot. Furthermore, immersion in such passages, which are already relatively precisely delimited in terms of space and time, can be seen as an essential driving force in the creative process. The same applies to the significance of supposedly functionless details that appear at an early stage of production and can thus be interpreted as a source of inspiration for the imagination. Finally, the plot sketch also shows a convergence and perspective blending of character and narrator speech, which is characteristic of realistic storytelling.