ABSTRACT
The rules for parsing, or the 'story grammar', make it possible to represent narrative structure as a tree diagram. Because major concern is with stories written by children, rather than with folktales, our interest in the story grammar focuses on its utility as a formal device for analysing the structure of children's written narratives. Story grammars have evolved from the two related fields of cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence. Although, as van Dijk points out, the methods and goals of these two branches of cognitive science are different, they are both interested in how language is understood, especially as it is organised in certain kinds of discourse. The most important aspect of Mandler's and Johnson's grammar for story analysis is its delineation of an event structure based upon the characters' actions, reactions, goals and goal-reaching attempts. On the most general level, story grammars specify that a narrative consists of at least one episode with beginning, development and ending.
