Lesson 19. Time of Narration│The Mechanics of Fiction Writing

Understanding Narrative Posture and Time of Narration

The Complexity of Narrators

• The discussion begins with the acknowledgment that narrators are complex, particularly regarding the time of narration. This aspect is straightforward but crucial for understanding narrative posture.

Defining Narrative Posture

• Narrative posture refers to the totality of the narrating situation, which includes both space and temporal sequence necessary for storytelling. Clues in the text help determine this time of narration.

Simultaneous Narration Explained

• An example from a story illustrates simultaneous narration where Chief tells events as they unfold, creating suspense since he does not know future outcomes. This choice enhances reader engagement by mirroring uncertainty experienced by characters.

McMurphy's Role in Changing Dynamics

• McMurphy is introduced as a stranger who disrupts the established social hierarchy within the narrative, challenging Nurse Ratched’s authority and introducing unpredictability into the storyline, which keeps readers intrigued about his next actions.

Prior Narration: A Rare Technique

• Prior narration is discussed as an uncommon narrative style where events are recounted before they occur, requiring a prophetic narrator. This technique can be challenging to maintain over longer narratives but has potential literary effects worth exploring.

Cues for Understanding Narrative Posture

Understanding Narrative Posture and Time in Storytelling

The Role of Narrative Posture

• Grammatical conventions are secondary to narrative posture; a non-character-narrator can create an omniscient perspective, allowing for fluid storytelling without constant attention to tense or grammar.

• Correctly adopting the narrative posture simplifies writing, enabling natural expression of future events as if they were past experiences.

Conventional Narrative Time

• Subsequent narration is the most conventional form, where events are recounted after their conclusion, providing the narrator with authority and knowledge about the story's events.

Example from "A River Runs Through It"

• A passage illustrates Norman and his father watching Paul struggle in the river, highlighting familial bonds through shared laughter despite Paul's challenges.

• The narrator reflects on family customs regarding fishing, revealing deeper emotional connections and understanding of shared experiences.

Reflection and Understanding Over Time

• The narrator’s identity remains ambiguous; he is referred to as Paul’s brother. Events occur in 1937, establishing a sense of nostalgia for past experiences.

• An impactful quote reveals Old Norman's reflections on love and loss: “Now nearly all those I loved...are dead,” indicating profound personal growth over time.

Insights into Character Development

• Young Norman struggles to understand Paul’s impulsive nature; however, Old Norman recognizes that sometimes love cannot prevent harm or danger.

• Maclean's prose captures the essence of longing for lost moments—true understanding often comes only after significant time has passed.

The Experience of Narration

• Sometimes it is not just about what the narrator understands but also about sharing the experience with readers as they undergo similar emotions throughout the tale.

Analysis of "The Turn of the Screw"

• In Henry James' ghost story, a young governess narrates her unsettling experiences at an estate while caring for children. Her lack of understanding adds tension to her recounting.

• Adverbial phrases guide readers through time progression within her narrative; this technique maintains engagement despite her confusion about unfolding events.

Building Suspense Through Structure

• The story unfolds with increasing strangeness leading up to climactic moments. The governess's uncertainty enhances suspense as she navigates eerie occurrences.

• Despite knowing these events occurred in her past, immediate feelings are conveyed through present-tense verbs that keep readers engaged in real-time reactions.

Narrative Techniques in Fiction

Types of Narrators

• The young narrator's surprise mirrors the reader's experience, using adverbial phrases to convey progression without much self-reflection.

• Two types of narrators are discussed: the reflective Norman and the shocked governess, each offering unique perspectives on events.

• Eyewitness accounts can be unreliable; they often reflect confusion similar to Major Clipton’s reaction in The Bridge on the River Kwai.

• Nick Carraway from The Great Gatsby serves as a middle ground between reflective and immediate narrators, possessing some understanding but lacking depth.

Narrative Time Postures

• Three common narrative times are identified: simultaneous, subsequent (immediate), and subsequent (distant past).

• Interpolated narration involves multiple narrators telling a story at different times; an example is epistolary narratives where characters exchange letters.

Examples of Interpolated Narration

• In epistolary narratives, correspondence between characters develops the story over time while maintaining clarity for readers.

• A humorous instance from Moby Dick illustrates how a character's letter can serve as a narrative artifact within the text.

Creative Uses of Narration

• Stories may include fictional journals with entries from the same character across different days, creating an interpolated effect.

• Writers are encouraged to experiment with journaling for their characters to explore narrative depth.

Convergence and Divergence in Storytelling

• Some stories feature narration that converges or diverges from real-time events; examples include film adaptations like Fight Club, which starts at the climax before revealing backstory.

• Films like Animal House predict future outcomes for characters, showcasing deviations from original storylines.

Understanding Narrative Posture

• Writers should grasp when their narrator tells the story and why this timing matters for effective storytelling.