narrators
"The role of the narrator influences the type of relationship we have not only with him or her but also with the story" (Landy 75). This quote was taken from our Literary Studies book in which we have read several stories concerning different styles of narration. Narration is one of the most important components of a story. The characters, plot, setting, and theme are also significant, however the narrator sets the mood and also the pace of the story. Two good examples of narration is the short tale The Zebra Storyteller by Spencer Holst and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. These are stories in which the narrators retain certain styles of narration. An outside book that we have not read is the fairy tale Cinderella. In these three works, the narrators have specific functions or duties to carry throughout the story. In The Zebra Storyteller the narrator is a Siamese cat but the narrator is also an outsider. During the story the cat tells a story to his friends about how skillful and 'powerful' he is at killing zebras. Towards the end of the story the cat is handed his fate; he is kicked and killed by a zebra, who sensed feared when approached. At the end of the story Holst concludes with the statement, "That . . .
A good example in the story would be where the narrator states, "The zebra storyteller wasn't fit to be tied at hearing a cat speaking his language, because he'd been thinking about that very thing" (Holst 1971). He is not a character in the story but he does have a role throughout. In this story the main character or the narrator is secluded in this room by herself and is limited to basically doing nothing. The narrator in Cinderella has a magical way with words. Some types of unique styles of narration writing are story telling, diary style, or telling a story about a day's experience. He describes the way the evil stepsisters treat Cinderella and how harsh and distasteful they are. In this story it is a great example how the story can take a sudden unexpected turn and shock the reader. As the story continues she becomes more abstract due to her deteriorating awareness of reality. At this point the narrator changes the reader's perspective and sheds light on an upcoming event in the story. The narrator's function in this story is to set not only the mood but also the setting. When the fairy godmother turned the mice into horsemen the narrator remarks, "The pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses, while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman, in a smart uniform and carrying a whip. He writes, "And not just the kind thoughts, and love, but also dresses, shoes, shawls, delicious food, comfy beds, as well as every home comfort" (Dulac 1). " This statement pertains to the idea of the function the storyteller has or how they create the atmosphere and set the grounds in which the story is based on. Narrator's in stories whether they be short or long have many specific roles.
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