nonlinear narrative
Time-scrambled plot structure
A nonlinear narrative presents events out of chronological order—through flashbacks, flash-forwards, parallel timelines, or fragmented sequences.
The technique appears in literature, film, and video games: Pulp Fiction's nonlinear narrative jumps between storylines.
Stories may use nonlinear structure to create mystery, mirror memory, or reveal information strategically.
- flashbackInvoluntary past memory
- flashforwardTemporal narrative jump ahead
- time jumpNarrative leap across time
- twistRotating motion or surprise
- stream of consciousnessNarrative mimicking uninterrupted thought
foreshadowing · unreliable narrator · multiple perspectives · metafiction · mosaic · interactive fiction · choose your own adventure · montage · Rashomon · juxtaposition · loop · framing device · temporal distortion · oral storytelling · ellipsis · interior monologue · ambiguity · episodic