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Lesson 16. Character vs. Non-Character Narrators│The Mechanics of Fiction Writing
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Lesson 16. Character vs. Non-Character Narrators│The Mechanics of Fiction Writing

Understanding Narrative Posture

Introduction to Narrative Posture

  • The lesson serves as a review of narrative posture, emphasizing its importance in writing. It encourages writers to leverage the advantages offered by their chosen narrative stance.

Analyzing Character-Narrators

  • The discussion begins with an analysis of passages from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain, highlighting the character-narrator Huckleberry Finn.
  • Huck's narration is characterized by honesty and personal experience, noting that while he stretches the truth, he primarily tells it.

Implications of Character Narration

  • Huck’s role as a character-narrator implies unique storytelling perspectives and insights into his thoughts and feelings.
  • There are no absolute better or worse narrative postures; each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Writers should view these as conventions rather than strict rules.

Understanding Viewpoint vs. Voice

  • The use of “I” indicates Huck's perspective, making it clear that readers are experiencing the story through his viewpoint.
  • Distinction between "voice" and "point of view" is crucial; conflating them can lead to misunderstandings about narration.

Attributes of Character-Narrators

  • A key feature of character-narrators like Huck is their closeness to the reader's understanding—readers feel they are inside the narrator's mind.
  • Huck evaluates situations while narrating, providing insight into both his thoughts on Mark Twain’s work and his judgments about characters around him.

Reliability and Limitations

  • Character-narrators possess human fallibility; Huck’s youth limits his understanding of complex situations and other characters' thoughts.
  • His age contributes to a sense of innocence in questioning the world around him, which enhances his relatability as a literary figure.

Unique Speech Patterns: Idiolect

  • Huck’s distinctive way of speaking reflects his idiolect—a personal dialect that adds authenticity to his character.

Character-Narrators and Their Perspectives

Understanding Idiolect in Character-Narrators

  • Huck's idiolect is a reflection of Twain's deep understanding of his character, emphasizing the importance of capturing a character's unique way of speaking and viewing the world.
  • A poet friend listened to children to authentically write in their idiolect, showcasing how genuine observation can enhance narrative authenticity.

The Role of Opinions in Character-Narration

  • Character-narrators possess opinions that shape their worldview; Huck’s evolving views illustrate a child's perspective grappling with moral complexities.
  • Huck demonstrates an awareness of integrity, revealing human flaws while navigating truth and deception, which adds depth to his character.

Empathy Through Narrative Perspective

  • Jonathan Evison describes the character-narrator as an "empathic window," allowing readers to deeply connect with another person's psyche through their thoughts and storytelling.
  • Nick Carraway from The Great Gatsby serves as a notable example where the narrator provides insight into his biases while recounting Gatsby’s story.

Comparing Character-Narrators with Non-Character Narrators

Distinctive Attributes of Non-Character Narrators

  • Non-character narrators differ significantly from character-narrators; they often provide broader descriptions without locking readers into a specific psyche.
  • The opening description from The Hobbit illustrates this difference by inviting readers into the storyworld without focusing on a single viewpoint.

Viewpoint Flexibility in Narrative Structure

  • Tolkien’s narrative style allows for multiple viewpoints throughout The Hobbit, contrasting with the singular focus typical of character-narration like Huck’s.
  • The initial general introduction to Bilbo's hobbit-hole exemplifies how non-character narration can create vivid imagery without immediate psychological depth.

Empathic Windows Beyond Direct Thought

  • In later passages, Bilbo’s internal conflict showcases how non-character narrators can still convey emotional depth through descriptive language rather than direct thought processes.

Understanding Narrative Voice and Viewpoint in Literature

The Distinction Between Narrator's Voice and Story's Viewpoint

  • The narrator’s “voice” should not be conflated with the story’s “viewpoint.” Even when they align, as seen with Huck, they represent different phenomena.
  • A non-character-narrator can fluidly shift between viewpoints, which is beneficial for expansive narratives like Tolkien’s Middle Earth. This allows for dynamic storytelling across various locations and characters.

Omniscience of Non-Character Narrators

  • Non-character narrators possess omniscience, meaning their knowledge of the storyworld is theoretically unlimited. They can relate events and characters effectively from an external perspective.
  • Generally, non-character narrators are reliable sources of information about the storyworld. Their authority makes it rare to encounter unreliability in their narration.

Idiolect and Style of Tolkien's Narration

  • Tolkien’s narrator employs a unique idiolect that combines straightforward diction with archaic elements, creating an authoritative yet playful tone throughout the narrative.
  • The simplicity in diction aligns with children's literature conventions while maintaining consistency that reinforces its authenticity.

Opinions and Reader Interpretation

  • Unlike character-narrators like Huck who express personal opinions, non-character narrators typically refrain from offering subjective views on events, allowing readers to form their own interpretations.
  • Traditional editorial omniscient narration often guides reader emotions through descriptive language; however, modern writers prefer a more subtle approach that avoids overt manipulation of reader sympathy.

Conclusion on Narrative Techniques

Playlists: The Mechanics of Fiction Writing
Video description

The most important distinction when determining your narrative posture is whether the narrator is a character in the story. So much flows from this choice a writer makes before writing the story. Here we discuss the attributes of Character and Non-Character narrators and some advantages and disadvantages of each. If you're interested in supporting this channel so I can continue to make videos like this one and others, please like, subscribe, and share with other writers. You can also help support the channel directly by visiting: https://www.rowelit.com/support The companion book for this series containing lecture notes and exercises is tailored to sharpen the skills covered in each lesson and is available through my online bookstore: https://www.amazon.com/author/p.e.rowe Purchasing a copy for yourself or a fellow writer helps to support this channel and your own writing skills.