Linear and Non-linear

Narrative structures can be either Linear or Non-linear, soap operas have linear narratives,meaning the story and plot of the soap follows the development of a story from beginning, through the middle, to the end, in chronological order. As soaps story lines constantly move forward and do not jump from end to middle, and proceeds in a straight line and step by step fashion which as time passes the story moves forward makes soaps have a linear narrative. On the other hand Non- Linear is the opposite, in other words the author creates a story's ending before the middle is finished. This is to add and build tension and keep the audience in suspense through the constant use of cross-cutting to either the past of future. Scenes develop to a point of heightened tension then randomly cuts to another scene, leaving the audience in suspense and makes the us wanting to return back to the former scene to find out what happens. Films and some television series contain a Non-Linear narrative, usually depending of the genre of the specific film or series. For example The Vampire Diaries is a supernatural American series which tends to jump from decade to decade for example this specific scene is a flashback of the main characters of when their 'vampire lover' got taken away. There are many Hollywood films who also consist of Non-linear narrative, such as 500 Days of summer, Slumdog Millionaire, Natural Born Killers and many more.