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Narrative perspective + narrative techniques (=
Erzähltechniken)
1. Narrative perspective:
The effect that a story has on the reader or listener is influenced by the narrative perspective or point of view from which it is told. Keep in mind that the author and the narrator are not the same person! Keep in mind as well that you need to state the effect of the narrative perspective used in your given text. After you have named the narrative perspective, you need to explain its function! There are three types of narrative perspectives: Useful vocabulary: to stress, emphasize, highlight, put emphasis on, underline an idea ● to involve the reader ●to establish contact ● to evoke/appeal to emotions ● to arouse / create sympathy, pity, interest ●to illustrate, to create a mental image ● to fell close to/distant from sb ● to relate to ● to identify with Adapted from: https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/the-narrative-technique-guide-25-examples-and-explanations-thatll-make-you-a-better-reader-and-writer/
2. Narrative techniques:
foreshadowing:
As the name suggests, writers use foreshadowing to hint on (= andeuten ) events or outcomes that will happen later in the writing, using either characters or objects within the story. Examples of Foreshadowing:
1. As the sky turned dark and heavy, the main character felt uneasy. The wind howled, and the _air felt charged with tension. Something big was about to happen.
- As the storm clouds gathered on the horizon, the protagonist couldn't shake the feeling of_ impending doom. The distant rumble of thunder echoed like a warning, and the sudden gusts of wind seemed to whisper secrets of the events to come. Little did they know, these signs were just the beginning of a series of challenges they would soon face on their journey.
cliffhanger:
A cliffhanger is when a story is left open-ended and unresolved. This is a commonly used narrative technique in television and film, as creators want the viewers to come back for the next episode to see if the answers are revealed.
flashback or flash-forward:
Taking the reader out of an otherwise chronological story, a flashback or flash forward will show events that happened in the past or future that impact the characters in the present day of the story timeline. An example of flash-forward: As she sat in her graduation gown, tossing her cap in the air with her classmates, little did she know that in just a few years, she would be standing in front of a packed auditorium, delivering a groundbreaking speech that would inspire thousands.
plot twist:
When something unexpected happens in a story, this is often described as a plot twist. Used throughout all manner of storytelling, the expected ending is usually shifted at an important moment in the plot.
IMPORTANT: Every narrative technique is used by the
author with an intention (= the effect it has on the
reader). Possible effects could be:
→to create interest so that the reader reads on →to make the reader aware of something (especially if the author thinks it’s important or worth knowing) →to make characters from the story appear in a positive or negative light (e.g. the protagonist as heroine/hero, the antagonist as the “enemy”) Adapted from: https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/the-narrative-technique-guide-25-examples-and-explanations-thatll-make-you-a-better-reader-and-writer/
Let’s practise: narrative perspective Task: Read the short text excerpt and identify the narrative perspective. Be ready to justify your decision. Take notes.
- Sarah stepped out of the car and looked around. She had landed in a small town she had never visited before. The streets were empty, and the sky was slowly darkening. Sarah wondered if she would find a place to spend the night. Narrative perspective: ________________________________
- Sarah stepped out of the car and looked around. Unfamiliar terrain, she thought. The small town she had landed in was usually bustling, but now the streets seemed deserted. What she didn't know was that a storm was approaching, and the residents had sought safety. Yet Sarah's doubts grew as she wondered if she would find a safe place for the night. Narrative perspective: ________________________________
- I stepped out of the car and took in my surroundings. The small town I found myself in seemed deserted. A sense of loneliness washed over me as I wandered through the empty streets. My mind raced with thoughts of whether I would find accommodation for the night. Uncertainty gnawed at me as I moved through the silence of the night, searching for a safe haven for myself. Narrative perspective: ________________________________ Here you can watch a summary of what we have just learned: (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=F6VW4t9kPgI (How to analyze narrative perspective - point of view – narration) Solution: 1. + 2 .: In the first excerpt, the story is told from the perspective of an external observer who only knows what the main character, Sarah, experiences and observes. In the second excerpt, however, the story is presented by a narrator who is aware of all events, thoughts, and emotions of both Sarah and other characters. 3. In this text, the story is told directly from Sarah's perspective, with her acting as the first-person narrator, sharing her thoughts and feelings directly with the reader. Adapted from: https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/the-narrative-technique-guide-25-examples-and-explanations-thatll-make-you-a-better-reader-and-writer/ and Klett Englisch Oberstufe 2021, p. 263 (Narrative techniques).
