Beginnings
"In a hole, in the ground there lived a hobbit."
ab ovo
"And they lived happily ever after."
closed ending
What is a narrator and explain "first-person narration"
narrator = a character in the story
describing events from their own point of view
What is the focalizer according to Gèrard Genette?
The central consciousness of a story.
The lens through which the narrative world is perceived.
"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect"
in medias res
"Are there any questions?"
open ending
What is the difference between an omniscient narrator and an unreliable narrator?
omniscient = uses a third person perspective and has complete insight into the thoughts and feelings of all characters.
unreliable = an overt narrator whose versions of events makes readers questions their credibility.
Name the two types of focalization!
- internal
"My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6,1973."
in ultimas res
"I just waited a bit, then turned back to the car, to drive off wherever it was I was supposed to be."
open ending
What is the difference between an overt narrator and a covert narrator?
overt = concrete, individualized speaker with a distinct personality who openly evaluates actions
covert = a hidden speaker who recounts the events in a seemingly objective and neutral manner
What is an interior monologue?
reveals the character's internal, psychological processes expressed in their own words.
"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show."
Ab ovo
"But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother."
closed ending
- restricted perspective
- not omniscient
- has no access to other characters thoughts
- cannot look into the future
What is a free indirect discourse?
The character's consciousness is revealed indirectly, we see their thoughts and feelings blended with the narrator's voice, not in the character's own words.