Narratology is a type of formalist criticism that explains and analyzes the structures, modes, and techniques of narrative. See Abrams, "Narrative and Narratology" (123-25), "Plot" (159-63), "Point of View" (165-69).
Narrative: story comprising characters, their dialogue and actions, and the events in which they participate.
Narratives may be related (novels, short stories) or enacted (drama)
Most narratives have a protagonist (one primary character who is the main focus of interest), who may or may not have an antagonist (one main opponent) and/or a foil (one or more figures who highlight the protagonist by their contrast with him/her).
The components of narrative are Story (all the events in the story arranged in chronological order, as they “happened”) and Plot (the structure given to the narrative by the author, the way the story is actually presented to the reader).
Plots may be
Episodic: events are held together mainly by the fact that they happen to the protagonist
Unified: events are carefully organized to create the effect of unity of action, constituting one action with a continuous sequence of beginning, middle, and end. See Freytag’s Triangle.
Polyphonic: main plot is interwoven with one or more subplots that enhance its meaning