Narrative Technique in Short Fiction
In short fiction, as in creative writing generally, the point of view or narrative technique has been seen as particularly important in how readers might engage with a story. Why might an author use a particular narrative technique? Select three stories from the Reader that demonstrate a particular narrative technique, or that demonstrate several different narrative techniques, and discuss and compare the effect of this in these stories.
Narrative technique and point of view play an important part in how a reader can engage with a short story. Depending upon how the technique is used, the reader can either feel included or alienated1, even in the most inclusive form of narrative, that of the first person singular perspective. I will be referring to three stories from the reader, all written with a first person perspective, and discussing how this narrative technique, partnered with other aspects of the story, engage the reader in it. Heather M. Steffen defines First Person perspective as a narrative style indicated by the use of the pronouns “I” (for the singular form) and “we” (plural form). The events of the story are being told by someone who is or did experience them. One of its downfalls is that the reader is only able to view a single characters emotions thought and experiences within the story, but this perspective can make the story seem more immediate, thus generally more engaging for the reader, without being intrusive (as a second person perspective can often do).2 The three stories I will be using are also all connected by a recurring theme, that of death and injury, chosen so that the contrast between them is all the more clear. Beginning with Aquifer, by Tim Winton, the first person perspective here is that of a man who is returning to his childhood home, due to a grisly discovery in the swamp at the end of his street3. Winton begins the story in the present, with the narrator seeing a news report regarding the discovery of human bones near his
Narrative technique and point of view play an important part in how a reader can engage with a short story. Depending upon how the technique is used, the reader can either feel included or alienated1, even in the most inclusive form of narrative, that of the first person singular perspective. I will be referring to three stories from the reader, all written with a first person perspective, and discussing how this narrative technique, partnered with other aspects of the story, engage the reader in it. Heather M. Steffen defines First Person perspective as a narrative style indicated by the use of the pronouns “I” (for the singular form) and “we” (plural form). The events of the story are being told by someone who is or did experience them. One of its downfalls is that the reader is only able to view a single characters emotions thought and experiences within the story, but this perspective can make the story seem more immediate, thus generally more engaging for the reader, without being intrusive (as a second person perspective can often do).2 The three stories I will be using are also all connected by a recurring theme, that of death and injury, chosen so that the contrast between them is all the more clear. Beginning with Aquifer, by Tim Winton, the first person perspective here is that of a man who is returning to his childhood home, due to a grisly discovery in the swamp at the end of his street3. Winton begins the story in the present, with the narrator seeing a news report regarding the discovery of human bones near his
References: 1 Meads, Threasa 2011, ‘Narrative Techniques’, lecture notes distributed in the topic ENGL1102 Reading and Writing Short Stories, Flinders University, Bedford Park on 18 August 2011 2 Steffen, Heather M. ‘Point of View/Focalization.’ The Encyclopaedia of Literary and Cultural Theory, ed. Michael Ryan (Blackwell Publishing, 2011), Blackwell Reference Online. 24 August 2011 3 Winton, Tim ‘Aquifer’, in The Best Australian Stories, ed. Peter Craven (Melbourne: Black Inc. 2001), pp. 248-262 4Welsh, Irvine ‘A Fault on the Line’, in Reheated Cabbage (London, Jonathan Cape, 2009), pp.1-10 5Morace, Robert. ‘Welsh, Irvine.’ The Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Fiction ed. Shaffer, Brian W. (Blackwell Publishing, 2011). Blackwell Reference Online. 24 August 2011 6Enright, Anne ‘Until the Girl Died’, in Taking Pictures (London: Jonathan Cape, 2008), pp. 187-198 7 Frawley, Oona. ‘Irish Fiction.’ The Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Fiction ed. Shaffer, Brian W. (Blackwell Publishing, 2011). Blackwell Reference Online. 25 August 2011