Tips For How To Use This Type Of Narrator Pat from The Silver Linings Playbook as well as Theodore Finch and Violet Markey from All The Bright Places are compelling examples of unreliable narrators. Octavia Butler’s 1979 novel, Kindred, is a standout example of a stranger to a specific time period encountering extremely prejudiced characters.Īs mentioned above, Charlie in The Perks of Being A Wallflower is a classic answer to the question, what is an unreliable narrator? In the film The Prestige, based on the 1995 novel by Christopher Priest, the use of two trickster protagonists keeps readers/viewers guessing until the end. Have you ever wondered, “What is an unreliable narrator in the classics?” Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird and Huck in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are both unreliable, young narrators. Related: What Is A Round Character? Examples Of Unreliable Narrators Now that you can answer the question, what is an unreliable narrator, it’s time to delve into further examples. Throughout the story, his unique viewpoint allows the reader a different perspective on people, life, and fitting in. I dive into examples next, but for clarity, consider the character of Charlie in The Perks of Being A Wallflower.Ĭharlie survived an abusive childhood and struggles to fit into his new high school. While we all struggle in different ways, mentally ill narrators present a different perspective than a mentally healthy protagonist having a bad day. He or she will bring their mindset to the story world and not understand other characters' actions as well as a character immersed in present day New York City. Just returned from a year-long trip to South Africaĭue to the differences in culture, perspective on race, gender, and social class, your protagonist will view the story much differently. Time jumped from 1910, Bristol, England.For instance, imagine you set your story in present day New York City, but your protagonist: When asking “what is an unreliable narrator” it’s crucial to expand your perspective outside of the story world. A Stranger, Foreigner, or Prejudiced Character What is an unreliable narrator that takes the form of a trickster? Consider crime novels where the perspective character turns out to be a double-agent or even the villain. They may hold back information, present facts in a falsified way, or explore subplots that take readers away from what should be their primary focus. Often the antithesis to a child narrator, the trickster intentionally misleads readers. This is a standout way for writers to share a perspective with innocence, draw attention to different viewpoints, and do so in a laid back way. Children often star as protagonists in novels that center on crucial topics. Here are four: A Child Lacking PerspectiveĪn unreliable narrator definition must include children, not because they intend to be unreliable, but simply because they lack the perspective gained with age. In addition, your unreliable narrator may simply be too young to be reliable.Īsking, what is an unreliable narrator, begs the follow-up question, are there various types? Since these narrators provide readers with a perspective that is in many ways contrary to the truth, it makes sense there would be many options.
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