Concept Mastery

1. Concept Mastery Unreliable Narrator Key Words - Narrator – one who tells a story 1 2 3 Never Present Sometimes Present Always Present 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person p.o.v. A forthright, accurate, and balanced account lacks credibility is (innocently) mistaken gives flawed information Poe’s story is one where an unreliable narrator is absolutely necessary for the author to fulfill his purpose of bringing the reader into a world of terrifying madness is biased has implications for the author’s message & purpose 1984 is A novel where a reliable narrator is absolutely necessary if we are to trust Orwell’s critique of the abuses of totalitarianism is manipulative is deranged or mentally ill Is obvious or subtle in his or her distortions omits info. , contradicts, him or herself, reveals biases Examples: Nonexamples: Intruder in Poe’s–”Tell Tale Heart” 6 3rd person narr. of 1984 Practice with new example The Wife of Bath in The Canterbury Tales misremembers stories & quotes Elie Wiesel - Night • Grendel • Tim Obrien – The Things They Carried • Propaganda – polit. campaign commercial • Gatsby’s Nick Carroway Charlie in Flowers for Algernon Othello (no “narrator” in most plays) Jeanette Walls – The Glass Castle Early historical example: gnostic gospels – rejected by early church Slave narratives Tie down definition While no narrator is perfect, an unreliable narrator is a narrator that (significantly) lacks credibility and gives flawed information. The unreliable narrator has implications for the author’s purpose and message. 7

2. Concept Mastery Unreliable Narrator Key Words - Narrator – one who tells a story 1 2 3 Never Present Sometimes Present Always Present Examples: Nonexamples: Poe –”Tell Tale Heart” 6 3rd person narr. of 1984 Practice with new example • Grendel (1st p POV) • Tim Obrien – The Things They Carried • Propaganda – polit. campaign commercial • The Matrix Tie down definition An unreliable narrator is a narrator that … 7