tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937390557356997344.post8919847962540685865..comments2024-03-06T02:34:23.015-08:00Comments on Dive into Worldbuilding: Unreliable NarratorsJuliette Wadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937390557356997344.post-88460447003686624992009-03-10T17:55:00.000-07:002009-03-10T17:55:00.000-07:00Ah, great point. I have much to learn...Ah, great point. I have much to learn...ColinFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799582651005924816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937390557356997344.post-35065032004279943822009-03-10T16:47:00.000-07:002009-03-10T16:47:00.000-07:00Actually, Colin, while giving evidence of narrator...Actually, Colin, while giving evidence of narrator error puts a little distance between reader and narrator, I don't think it completely removes the reader from their link to that character. It just shows them the character's errors, like peeks into the future. "Uh-oh, he shouldn't have left that on the floor!" Etc. It creates suspense about what will happen, and it creates suspense also about what the character is likely to do. <br><br>Whether you feel a character is like you, or makes judgments that you would agree with, isn't necessarily the measure of that character's link to you as a reader. If you know the character is getting him/herself into trouble and doesn't realize it, that can make you feel even closer to that character.Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937390557356997344.post-26384651507753833022009-03-10T16:02:00.000-07:002009-03-10T16:02:00.000-07:00So, based on that, it seems that having an unrelia...So, based on that, it seems that having an unreliable narrator is a way to distance the reader from the narrator's point of view. Under normal circumstances, the reader will relate themselves to the narrator or main character (guess that depends on POV?) But in this case, the reader will tend not to relate to the narrator because they will have a different outlook on events in the story. To what end would an author want the reader not to associate themselves with the narrator or main character? It seems like that would be the opposite of what you would want to do.ColinFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05799582651005924816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-937390557356997344.post-70526654999149814542009-03-10T09:08:00.000-07:002009-03-10T09:08:00.000-07:00Thanks for these comments. I think you both have ...Thanks for these comments. I think you both have good points. Everybody is unreliable to a certain extent because we're each individuals. However, I think there's a bit of a distinction between a person who grows through the story and an unreliable narrator. I would hope that all main characters would grow and learn new things over the course of a story. The question of reliability I think comes down to whether the author chooses to provide evidence that the character's views are wrong. If there is no such evidence, then the reader remains congruent in viewpoint with the character. Once the author chooses to provide character-external evidence aimed directly at the reader, the reader's view becomes divorced from that of the character, and the reader must recognize areas of unreliability in the narrator's viewpoint.Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.com