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Who’s Telling This Story, Anyway?
Literary ventriloquism and the art of narration in storytelling
Every story is told by someone. In fiction, this role is given to the narrator. I’m not necessarily talking about the author — the person sitting behind the keyboard furiously bashing out words at top speed — but rather the entity that relates the tale to the reader. For example, in a story written from 1st person point-of-view, it’s clear that the author is doing an act of literary ventriloquism. They have created a fictional “I” who acts as a witness to the events being related. As readers, we accept that we’re taking a trip into that fictional character’s head. It feels natural, even, since everyone views the world from behind their “I”s.
But things get hinky when we consider 3rd person POV. Here’s the opening paragraph of George Orwell’s 1984:
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him.
Winston isn’t telling us about himself, here. Nor is this an account made by a fictional companion of Winston’s. The words exist outside the realm of the…
