Narration is the art of conveying a story through written or spoken commentary, a fundamental aspect of storytelling that dictates how an audience receives information about the plot and characters. It encompasses not only who tells the story but also how it is told, involving a series of deliberate choices made by the story's creator. These choices, collectively known as the narrative mode or narrative technique, shape the audience's understanding
and engagement with the story. From the grammatical person used by the narrator to the chosen tense and various stylistic devices, each element contributes to the overall narrative experience.
Defining Narrative Point of View
One of the most critical decisions in narration is the narrative point of view, also referred to as perspective or voice. This choice determines the grammatical person the narrator employs, establishing whether the narrator and the audience are participants in the story. For instance, a first-person narrator uses "I," directly involving themselves in the events, while a third-person narrator uses "he" or "she," maintaining a more detached stance. Beyond grammatical person, point of view also defines the scope of information or knowledge the narrator presents. This can range from an all-knowing omniscient perspective, privy to every character's thoughts and feelings, to a limited perspective, confined to the experiences of a single character.
Another aspect of narrative point of view is the choice between subjective and objective narration. A subjective narrator might offer personal opinions and interpretations, while an objective narrator would present events more neutrally. Some stories even employ alternating or multiple-person narration, allowing different characters to tell parts of the story, thereby creating a complex and multifaceted perspective. This flexibility in point of view allows authors to control the flow of information and the emotional impact of their narratives.
Narrative Tense and Techniques
Beyond point of view, narrative tense is another key choice, establishing whether the plot's events are presented as having already occurred (past tense) or as happening in the present moment (present tense). This decision significantly influences the immediacy and urgency of the story. The past tense is common, recounting events that have concluded, while the present tense can immerse the reader directly into the unfolding action, creating a sense of real-time experience.
Various narrative techniques further enhance how a story is told. These include establishing the story's setting in time and space, developing characters, exploring themes or main ideas, and structuring the plot. Authors also make deliberate choices about which details to express and which to omit, how to follow or subvert genre norms, and what linguistic styles to employ. Techniques like stream-of-consciousness, which aims to depict the continuous flow of thoughts and feelings in a character's mind, or the use of an unreliable narrator, whose credibility is compromised, add layers of complexity and intrigue to a story. These diverse tools allow storytellers to craft unique and compelling narratives, engaging audiences on multiple levels.
