Here are some of his most notable works:
Books:
* Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film (1978): One of his most influential books, exploring the distinction between story (the events themselves) and discourse (how those events are presented).
* Coming to Terms: The Rhetoric of Narrative in Fiction and Film (1990): A follow-up to "Story and Discourse," further developing his theories on narrative structure.
* The Literary Mind: Essays in Literature and Criticism (1973): A collection of essays on various literary topics, including narrative, poetry, and literary theory.
* Characters and Narrators: Perspectives on Fiction (1985): Examining the roles of characters and narrators in shaping the reader's understanding of a story.
* The Language of Stories: Essays in Narrative Theory (2005): A compilation of essays on narrative theory, including his reflections on his previous work.
Key Articles:
* "What Novels Can Do That Films Can't" (1976): An exploration of the unique qualities of narrative in novels compared to film.
* "The Structure of Literary Narrative" (1978): A seminal essay on the fundamental elements of narrative structure.
* "The Real, the Possible, and the Fictional" (1990): A discussion on the relationship between reality, possibility, and fiction in storytelling.
Chatman's work is highly influential in literary studies, film studies, and narratology. His theories have shaped the way we understand how stories work and how they are constructed.