Narrative in Law and Life: Some Frequently Asked Questions

Abstract

This article briefly addresses the following questions: Why should we study narrative? Does narrative have a basic overarching form or forms? How does framing drive narrative? How do concepts drive narrative? What can we do when we lack the necessary concepts for the narrative we need to tell? Are there basic storylines that repeat? Are there basic character types that we reuse? Can narrative drive the results of a Supreme Court case? Can narrative drive transactional practice? How does narrative's importance underscore the importance of an education in the humanities?

Keywords: narrative, storytelling, archetypes, concept, metaphor, framing, storylines, character types, character traits, humanities, liberal arts