Essay Sample on Narrative Situations

Introduction

A narrative situation has the primary elements of the narrator, his/her point of view(perspective), and the nature of narration (first person or their person functional narration). According to Keen, a narrator can be a character in the story (homodiegetic narrator), or a person who; though not the protagonist, knows everything about the fiction (heterodiegetic narrator) (34). The narrator is not necessarily the author, and thus the narrative situation should not be viewed from the position of the author. In this essay, the historical case of two fictional works in the realist and modernism periods will be examined. These works are and Higuchi's "Separate Ways" and Lu's "Diary of a Madman."

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

An examination of the two fictions shows that they have different uses of narrative situation. In Higuchi's "Separate Ways," the fiction uses a heterodiegetic narrator as the storyteller uses a third-person to present the manner in which the love story between Kichizo, and Okyo; who has been described as "a stylish woman in her early twenties," unfolded (Mitsutani 54). Although the narrator is not a character in the story, he seems to understand the entirety of the events which took place. However, in Lu's "Diary of a Madman," an overt narration is used whereby the narrator has a distinct personality and makes his opinions known about the diary of a madman (Xun 10). Additionally, the use of first-person narration shows that it was told by a homodiegetic narrator.

The use of different narrative situations has shaped my understanding of the two stories which were written in the modernism periods. For instance, the use of third-person narration in Higuchi's "Separate Ways," changed my understanding as the narrator was a distinct person who tells the story of another person. As such, I am persuaded to imagine that some of the events reported might not have been in the manner in which they are presented. However, the use of first-person narration in "Diary of a Madman," shows that the narrator was not only bringing out the events in the fiction but was also a participant. As such, I am persuaded to relate to the facts and understand how the narrator was connected with the novel.

Based on an examination of the manner in which narrative situations have been used in the two works of the realist period, I have observed that whereas Higuchi's "Separate Ways," use of third-person narration detaches the narrator from the events in the story, Lu's "Diary of a Madman," uses a first-person narrative situation to provide more attachment of the narrator to the diaries written by the madman. As such, Higuchi is useful in ensuring that the audience understands his perspective based on the fiction. However, Lu's character is seen because we hear his voice and thus ensuring that the narrative situation is associated with him.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a narrative situation contains the essential elements of the narrator, his/her point of view, and the level of narration. An examination of two fictions from the realist and modernism periods shows that Higuchi's "Separate Ways," uses a heterodiegetic narrator (third-person) whereas Lu in "Diary of a Madman" deploys a homodiegetic narrator (first-person). The use of such types of narrative situations ensures that the narrators bring out their ideas either being part of the story detaching themselves from the events and thus showing their character and motivations.

Works Cited

Keen, Suzanne. "Narrative Situation: Who's Who and What's its Function." Narrative Form. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2015. 33-55.

Mitsutani, Margaret. "Higuchi Ichiyo: A Literature of Her Own." Comparative Literature Studies 22.1 (1985): 53-66.

Xun, Lu. "A madman's diary." Selected Stories of Lu Hsun (1918): 7-18.