Sequence in time. Narrative should include a clear beginning, middle, and end, although even fragmentary stories can still represent time and sequence. Event se- quence is part of the fabula-deep structure-of a story. The surface structure of a narrative need not present events in se- quence; events frequently are rearranged for dramatic effect (as in murder mysteries, where the corpse is usually found before the killer is revealed). But chronology is a cen- tral organizing device. The events or actions referred to in a narrative are understood to happen in a sequence. 2