Narrative voice

Introduction

Narrative voice can be referred as the person who is narrating given information. Sometimes narrative voice can be a character or an unnoticed voice that offers the background information. It is essential for a person narrating a certain story to be able to engage readers. This is because they help them to pay attention to the content and makes the story to be more interesting. Good story tellers know how to engage readers especially at the beginning of the readings. It is said that a strong engaging beginning is essential as it sets a tone for the given piece of writing. In addition, it determines the entire content and the direction of the reading. Moreover, it helps in establishing the voice of the narrator. From this perspective, it can be seen that it is essential for writers or narrators to be in a position to provide a concise beginning that will engage the reader in the given content. This is because an engaging beginning helps to capture the reader’s attention and interest. This means that it invites him or her to submerge headfirst into the written text. It is essential to enhance narrative voices in any given text. This is because they create a certain relationship between them and the reader. This essay will clearly present a comparison of three texts with regard to their presentation and the effect of the narrative voice.

Compare and contrast in the presentation and effect of the narrative voice in your three chosen texts Great expectations, the rime of the ancient mariner and Talking heads.

Openings - how does narrative voice engage reader from the start? What other techniques are used to introduce narrative?

It is essential to enhance narrative voice as it creates familiarity between the reader and the narrator. With view of the three given texts, it can be seen that every author has his or her own way of engaging the begging of their text. Charles Dickens in his article called Great Expectations can be seen as a good writer as he has enhanced his narrative voice. Throughout the article, Dickens has used first person narrative. The first person narrative tends to be the main protagonist or character that is named as Pip. Therefore, Dickens narrative approach depends on the adult Pip’s comments on the young Pip’s actions and words (Dickens, 2012). Due to the use of first person in the beginning of the story, it can be seen that Dickens has pursued in engaging his readers throughout the text. For instance, the reader is made aware of certain changes that have taken place in the life of the protagonist. The reader is made aware that older Pip has attainted a different social and moral outlook that permits him to judge his character when he was young. Additionally, Dickens has engaged the readers, as they are aware of the underlying momentum and the reasons of Pip’s growth and development. Although this is not revealed in the entire content, the reader is alerted of certain changes that will take place in the live of Pip. Dickens’s narrative voice has engaged the reader from the start as he or she is aware of the changes that will take place on Pip. From the above point of view, it is evidenced that Dickens has a fascinating way of engaging the readers. This is because he has used different techniques and devices to engage the entire readers. For instance, his title is one way of engaging the reader. This is because the reader will be eager to know what the “Great Expectation” is. Dickens has also used some devices such as gothic genre, gothic setting and unusual characters. This can also engage the reader to read more (Dickens, 2012).

The rime of the ancient mariner is a poem that was written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Throughout the poem, it is seen that the poet has engaged the reader as he has used various devices. This is because the narrator has set up the action in a dramatic way. Two narrative voices in this poem include the story of the Mariner and the Wedding Guest (Coleridge, 1857). There is another story within a story that tends to take most of the poem and it entails Mariner’s voyage (Coleridge, 1857). Throughout the poem, Coleridge has used a third person narration, as he knows the thoughts of the two characters and the wedding guest (Coleridge, 1857). Through his work and the story about the Ancient Mariner, he has really engaged the readers. For instance, the alienation of the Ancient Mariner is the supernatural device that engages the readers (Coleridge, 1857). Through his word usage in the entire content, he has engaged the readers. Additionally, he has used various devices such as imagery that has played a big role in engaging the readers. Alan Bennett has also used many devices to engage the readers in his Talking Heads. His narrative voice has played a significant part. This is because it has engaged reader from the start. His title is one of the devices that engage the readers. This is because readers are eager to know what the title means. In the start of play, he has used humor to engage the readers, as they want to know what will happen to the live of the character. He has also used monologues in the start of the play. This plays as significant role as it gives the reader the personality of the character.

Genre / form / structure - implications Language & imagery

In the novel “Great Expectations”, Dickens has structured it in three parts. The first part entails the departure of Pip for London, the second part consist of his return of Magwitch and part three entails his life until the end(Dickens, 2012). The structure of the novel helps to alert the reader what each chapter will involve. This in advance gives the reader the interest to read the entire novel. Dickens has used a language that is described by many people as off-putting. This is because most of his vocabulary seems strange to modern readers. Additionally, he uses long and complex sentences. Great expectation has numerous imagery, for instance, Dickens has used different images to represent real objects. This helps the reader to figure out the hidden meaning of the novel. On the other hand, Coleridge has used a narrative structure in his poem. This is because he has written the poem in a way that every reader can be able to know what will follow. He has combined two genres. This is because the poem has a story within a story. On the other hand, Alan Bennett has structured his Talking head in a manner the reader can be able to know all the events that will take place. Through his use of monologue, he has portrayed the lives of characters.

Different possible readings Humour/ pathos

Dickens has also used pathos to appeal to the emotions of the readers. He also employs humor through his naming of the characters. This is because he has ridiculous characters that tend to have funny names. For instance, he has named one of the characters as pompous Uncle Pumblechook (Dickens, 2012). This is really a ridiculous name to call a character. The character that was named as Abel Magwitch has aroused the emotion of the reader (Coleridge, 1857). For instance, when he was captured he displays sympathy to the reader. From Coleridge poem, it can be evidenced that humor is consistent with pathos. This is because he has appealed to pathos that has changed the emotions of the readers. Alan Bennett has used various devices that create humor to the readers. Several emotions arise when Irene tries to write a letter informing the person that their wife is a prostitute (Bennett & Bennett, 2007). This displays pathos that was used when writing the entire letter. Additionally, he creates humor that displays people’s suffering.

Presentation of authors themes Endings

Theme endings entail how the authors have presented the themes in a text. The reader can identify various themes very easily while the rest requires the reader to read between the lines in order to reveal them. Dickens in his Great Expectations has established a number of themes endings showing the life of Pips. In addition, his themes are well presented and the reader can identify them more easily. Dickens has presented a theme that tends to explore the ideas of aspiration and self- improvement (Dickens, 2012). Through changes that Pip has undergone, it can be evidenced that he has a self-improvement. This shows that Dickens has presented his themes in a way that the reader can easily identify them. This offers a reader a clear message of the novel. In “The rime of the ancient mariner”, Coleridge has presented numerous themes. For instance, the theme of power of imagination is well portrayed and every reader can be in a position to identify it from the beginning of the poem. This shows that he has presented his themes in a way that an individual can review them quickly. Allan Bennett has also presented themes in a manner that the reader can know what is happening in the entire play. He has presented the theme of human frailty that changes readers a lot (Bennett & Bennett, 2007). From the above, it can be seen that the presentation of the author’s themes endings helps the reader to get the entire message of the content.

Narrative perspective- how many layers - what effects achieved?

The Great Expectation was written in the first person perspective. Narration perspectives used by Dickens include an adult perspective as well as the double perspective. The first person perspective enables the reader to portray the real picture of the narrator. The adult perspective tells all the information necessary for the audience in an interesting manner. Pip telling his own story shows the audience about his own feelings and his view of the world according to his own perspective. The narrator is able to make his audience to understand the story better. On the day Joe visits him he is able to narrate the story using the first person perspective until the audience get in to more details about the occurrences (Dickens, 2012). His change of vocabulary from time to time captures his audience more. His use of the first person present and first person past spoken enables the audience gets the childhood narration of Pip in a good way. The use of double perspective is continuous in the Charles Dickens play to attract his audience and enhance his way of narration. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is written and narrated in short stanzas but made up of long lines up to nine lines. This enhances use of the third person perspective especially in part one of the poem. Coleridge is aware of all the happenings of the poem. Religion is the main focus of this poem where God is regarded as omnipresent. Flashback is an example if a technique employed in this poem. This happens when the reader is taken back to the events of the journey itself. This enables the reader to get the flow of the poem in the correct order and happening of the events (Coleridge, 1857). Dramatic dialogue is also another perspective used in the poem. Mariner tells the story in a dramatic dialogue in many situations where the narrator enables the reader to know the frame of the poem. Coleridge also employs the use of double perspective since he uses two different stories in his poem and narration. He uses the double perspective to show the reader how dramatic dialogue can cause effect during narration and the effects of using flash back to the audience. Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads were written and recorded to be viewed in the television during 1987.the perspective used in here is that of single point of view. None of the characters in the narration tells the complete story. The sexuality issue in Graham, alcoholism involving Suzan and Muriel’s husband issue are not discussed well enough to be understood by the reader. The use of this perspective creates suspense to the audience (Bennett & Bennett, 2007). Each monologue is made by Bennett’s in order to make the narration possible to the audience.

Use of irony and how it is shaped

The use of irony is seen in these three texts. In Great Expectation Pip’s backer is seen as Miss Havisham which is the seen as central irony. Miss Havisham portrays herself good to the people and is also liked by the people. This is ironical since she is not a supporter of Pip. In chapter 39, Pip is stroked by irony since he realizes the true picture of Miss Havisham (Dickens, 2012). He realizes that Estella was not chosen for her by Miss Havisham as she claimed. Joe and Biddy have experienced rudeness and roughness of Pip in the name of the Miss Havisham. He is rude to them and cannot take back the rude behavior which he showed to them. The relationship between these two is ironic (Dickens, 2012). Estella says that Pip does not have a heart. She says that she does not care about Pip yet in real sense she cares which is ironical. Irony is well used throughout the narration of this story in order to capture his audience and make the story lively. Verbal irony and situational irony are used in the poem by Coleridge “Water, water, everywhere, and all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink (Coleridge, 1857).” This is ironical since there is not even a single drop of water for the characters to drink. This makes the readers interested to read the poems. Irony creates imagination to readers who gain interests in reading the poem. The mariners are very thirsty and surrounded everywhere by water which they cannot drink. Verbal irony is used unlike in the Great Expectation where comic irony is throughout the whole story. Irony in this poem involves a gap between what is understood by people and the suggestions of the speaker or narrator. It is conflict of two meanings where the people actually conflict with the reader. The reader must understand the meaning of the text in detail before making the conclusion in order to get the real meaning of what the writer intended to. This is seen in the mariners where they cannot drink water yet the ship is surrounded by water. The reader should understand the text in detail until the right meaning is found. Bennett uses irony in his work too as a way of impressing his readers. Each character in the story pretends to be what they are not. Susan who is an alcoholic hides her behavior from the people and pretends to be a good person. Graham is a homosexuality and does not portray it to the people (Bennett & Bennett, 2007). Doris is wishing for her death and in real sense she does not want to die. Each character has a weakness which is well hidden and is not shown to the people. Just like portrayed by Coleridge situational irony is shown by all the characters in the poem (Coleridge, 1857). They pretend to be good which is ironic since in real life situations they all have immoral weaknesses.