ABSTRACT Narratives derive meaning not only from events but from their transformation into plots and discourse through temporal manipulation and focalization. Yet Geographic Information Systems (GIS), while effective at modeling spatiotemporal entities, lack mechanisms for such narratological operations. We propose an event‐based framework that positions events as the operative core linking fabula, sjuzhet, and discourse. Narratives are formalized with hierarchical event trees and time graphs, with timing computed via propagation and perspectives formalized as first‐class attributes of events through a focalization mechanism. The framework is implemented in HiStory, a Web‐GIS platform that compiles structured inputs into interactive audiovisual narratives. A case study of Qinghai Lake illustrates how event‐based storytelling conveys environmental change more effectively than static techniques such as small multiples. By advancing GIS toward computable narrative transformation, this work bridges narratology and geospatial technologies, providing a foundation for new methods of interactive storytelling in education and environmental communication.
Jia et al. (2025) studied this question.