• Narrator Types

  • First person narrators use "I" and offer a personal perspective. They might, however, be unreliable or biased.
  • Second person narrators use "you" and are rare but could imply a kind of "I".
  • Third person narrators use "he/she" and can be omniscient (knows all characters' thoughts) or limited (focalized through individual characters).

• Significance of Narrator Types

  • These differences impact how we interpret the story, character feelings, and the degree of reader-character closeness.
  • Example: In J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye", the first-person narration lets us inside Holden Caulfield's mind, but we must question his reliability due to his emotional instability.

• Question of Proximity: To truly grasp a story's essence, we should consider the narrator's time and place. Is the narrator involved or distant from the action? Is the perspective nostalgic, objective, or biased?
• Example: Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" features Scout, a young narrator in the midst of action, her understanding of events change as she ages.

• Speaker and Seer: In any text, ask "Who speaks, and who sees?" This sheds light on whose perspective we're getting, how characters are judged, and the overall truthfulness of the narrative.

• The Author's Role: Authors intentionally or unintentionally place elements in a text. It's challenging to ascertain their exact intentions. Different readers might interpret the same text differently due to their unique experiences and knowledge.
• Example: F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" — we don't know if Nick Carraway is narrating to a specific person, himself, his contemporaries, or us.

• Sympathy & Agreement: As a reader, question where your sympathy lies and whether you agree with the narrator's views.
• Author's Intention: Try to understand what the author wants you to feel or think. The author's intent might differ from the narrator's perspective.
• Example: In Anthony Burgess' "A Clockwork Orange", the charming yet evil narrator, Alex, makes us question our reactions. We're drawn to his charisma, but does Burgess want us to sympathize with such a character?

Understanding the intricacies of narration — the types of narrators, their proximity to the action, who speaks and sees — helps us unravel a text's meanings. As readers, we must also consider our reactions and the possible authorial intent to grasp a narrative's full depth. Remember, interpretation is subjective and can evolve over time, reflecting our unique experiences and knowledge.

These notes should make it easier to understand the interplay between narrators, authors, and readers. Keep questioning and happy reading!