08-03-2006, 10:40 PM
Narrative persona. The way the narrator is used can say so much about an author. Milne would point jokes at language from the perspective of a toddler, Pratchett discribes the greater picture of the univerce with science and storytelling theories, Rowling will report from a third person perspective within the head of her main character. Conan Doyle talked about what Watson could see, and filled in what he'd missed with dialogue from Holmes at a later stage. The very way in which you tell things to the reader is a defining point in style. In fact, it's what style is. Nate uses less words, whilst I actually like to use slightly more than nessesary to prevent people becoming entirely engrossed and falling into my world of words. The things I suggest in narrative are completely absurd, but none of it falls through to the characters I'm writing about, except on occasion, when I decide the lines between the univerce and the narrative need to blur.
The level of discription the narrator decides to go into can say so much about the story, or the character you're looking at the world from. Barry Hines (Kesteral for a Knave) invested a lot of time explaining the fields and woods in his story, and Billy's interaction with them, using colourful and bright metaphor, and simmile, but neglected to use any poetic devices when writing long and boring passages about the neighbourhood in which Billy lived, and didn't describe school at all. These aspects of his narrative persona reflected the interests and sentiments of Billy, giving the reader an empathy with the protagonist. His subtle use of heat duriing Billy's exploits can also stir feelings within the reader, as he always mentions the warmth when Billy's content, or safe, but focuses on the cold when he's in a negative state.
So, you see, I am a firm believer in the use of narration as a voice sounding from a character, or from the setting, or even from the author, as opposed to an impersonal report of actions and setting, where the characters are depended upon entirely for their input. ""I'm sad," said TK, at Patamon's revalation." That could be so much more interesting with a narrator with a personality:
"Takeru felt the pressing, dull knife of depression pierce his hopeful heart, slowly sliding into his mucles as the fact began to sink in: Patamon was definately in love with Demidevimon."
Give me a writer, and I will show you a poet.
The level of discription the narrator decides to go into can say so much about the story, or the character you're looking at the world from. Barry Hines (Kesteral for a Knave) invested a lot of time explaining the fields and woods in his story, and Billy's interaction with them, using colourful and bright metaphor, and simmile, but neglected to use any poetic devices when writing long and boring passages about the neighbourhood in which Billy lived, and didn't describe school at all. These aspects of his narrative persona reflected the interests and sentiments of Billy, giving the reader an empathy with the protagonist. His subtle use of heat duriing Billy's exploits can also stir feelings within the reader, as he always mentions the warmth when Billy's content, or safe, but focuses on the cold when he's in a negative state.
So, you see, I am a firm believer in the use of narration as a voice sounding from a character, or from the setting, or even from the author, as opposed to an impersonal report of actions and setting, where the characters are depended upon entirely for their input. ""I'm sad," said TK, at Patamon's revalation." That could be so much more interesting with a narrator with a personality:
"Takeru felt the pressing, dull knife of depression pierce his hopeful heart, slowly sliding into his mucles as the fact began to sink in: Patamon was definately in love with Demidevimon."
Give me a writer, and I will show you a poet.