--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't matter whether a sequence of…" description: "\"“It doesn't matter whether a sequence of words is called a history or a story: that is, whether it is intended to follow a sequence of actual events or..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/northrop-frye-3483_history_it-doesn-t-matter-whether-a-sequence-of_1335188.png" --- # It doesn't matter whether a sequence of words is called a… ![“It doesn't matter whether a sequence of words is called a history or a story: that is, whether it is intended to follow a sequence of actual events or not. As far as its verbal shape is concerned, it will be equally mythical in either case. But we notice that any emphasis on shape or structure or…” quote by Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/northrop-frye-3483_history_it-doesn-t-matter-whether-a-sequence-of_1335188.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/northrop-frye-3483_history_it-doesn-t-matter-whether-a-sequence-of_1335188.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f00/northrop-frye-3483_history_it-doesn-t-matter-whether-a-sequence-of_1335188.png) > ““It doesn't matter whether a sequence of words is called a history or a story: that is, whether it is intended to follow a sequence of actual events or not. As far as its verbal shape is concerned, it will be equally mythical in either case. But we notice that any emphasis on shape or structure or pattern or form always throws a verbal narrative in the direction we call mythical rather than historical.(p.21)”” [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The distinction between history and story lies in their form; both become mythic when we focus on structure rather than factual sequence. **In simple terms:** Form makes narrative mythic regardless of truth. Key Takeaway Pay attention to structure, not just content. Themes myth structure narrative history story Mood analytical thoughtful Type critical theoretical When to use this quote - academic writing - teaching literature - creative writing - critical essays Key Concepts Literary theory mythology narrative analysis Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on form change our perception of truth? - When does myth become more useful than history? A Different Perspective Emphasizing structure can obscure factual accuracy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Literary criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-criticism/) [Literary theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary-theory/) [Mythical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythical/) [Mythical Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythical-historical-4493118/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Narrative-theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative-theory-128881/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Verbal Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verbal-narrative-4493117/) [Verbal Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/verbal-shape-4493119/) ## Related quotes > [“The reader is the space on which all the quotations that make up a writing are inscribed without any of them being lost; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/the-reader-is-the-space-on-which-all-the-quotations-that-make-up-a/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [“You do not even think of your own past as quite real; you dress it up, you gild it or blacken it, censor it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/you-do-not-even-think-of-your-own-past-as-quite-real-you-dress-it-up/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“The genuine artist, Harris is saying, finds reality in a point of identity between subject and object, a point at which the created world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-genuine-artist-harris-is-saying-finds-reality-in-a-point-of/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [“For me, fantasy must be about something, otherwise it's foolishness... ultimately it must be about human beings, it must be about the human condition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clayton-johnson/for-me-fantasy-must-be-about-something-otherwise-it-s-foolishness/) [George Clayton Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clayton-johnson/) > [I am someone who values truth - actual truth as opposed to "truthiness." 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