The Introspective Narrator as the
Window to the Soul
My sister and I are two years apart
in age. Growing up, we drove our mother
crazy because we fought like animals almost daily. At the end of each brawl, we were both
allowed to tell (or yell) our side of the story. Even though I was always sure that I had been
slighted as the younger sister, my sister was convinced (wrongly) that she had
been disrespected as the elder sister. Years later, I have learned two lessons from
my fights with my sister: First of all, that my sister will always think that
she is right. Secondly, I have learned
the importance of perspective and point-of-view.
It has been said that there are two sides
to every story. Luckily in literature,
there are often multiple sides to a tale.
This is why the narrator is such a vital figure to not only the plot of
a story, but also vital to the technical composition of a novel overall. Essayist and critic Percy Lubbock touched on
the importance of the narrator when he stated, “The whole intricate question of
method in the craft of fiction, I take to be governed by the question of the
point-of-view—the question of the relation in which the narrator stands to the
story. He tells it as he sees it, in the
first place” (251). Lubbock is demonstrating,
specifically, the power possessed by the first person narrator who allows the
reader to enter his or her world. More importantly, the narrator allows the
reader to enter their mind, and it is through their introspective thoughts that
the reader is given an up close and personal view of the important themes
stressed in the novel. Though it now
seems commonplace to have a story told by a narrator who is a completely
separate entity from the author, this was not always the case, as the idea of a
“narrator” is a fairly modern concept.
Because the narrator is a fairly modern concept, it is necessary to examine
the evolution of the introspective narrator in literature. In addition, it is important to view how the
introspective narrator affords the reader a greater opportunity to address
universal themes through the narrator’s personal struggles.
Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is often “regarded as one of the foundational
novels of literary realism…one of the central examples of novelistic realism,
exerting a powerful influence on the tradition of the novel” (Robinson Crusoe). The author is describing Robinson Crusoe as a
work that challenged the status quo of the novel and eventually influenced the
way novels were crafted. Published in
April of 1719, Robinson Crusoe stands
out as one of the foremost novels that models the characteristics of literary
realism, including the concept of the narrator as a being separate from the
author. During the Renaissance Ages, it
was usually assumed, and rightfully so, that the voice portrayed in poems or works
of drama was that of the author. Robinson Crusoe broke from the tradition
of Renaissance drama and poetry that focused on well-established conventions
such as choices in style, subject matter, and tone by creating identify through
the narrator. Through this progression
from Renaissance literature to literary realism, “characters [became] the
centre of interest as opposed to the plot” represented through “simplicity and
respect, but little elaboration” (Realism).
The early concept of the narrator was not as refined as the modern
narrator; however, characters became responsible for more than just moving the
story along. Specifically, Robinson
Crusoe gave Defoe a vehicle through which shared universal experiences could be
dissected.
Robinson Crusoe is the story of a young
wanderer who finds himself the sole inhabitant of an island after a storm at
sea leaves him shipwrecked. More
importantly, the novel addresses many universal themes, one of them being the
importance of one’s inner relationship with self. The importance of self-awareness has long
been a theme in literature. In
Renaissance literature, self-actualization and the realization of one’s
potential was a topic covered by many authors and playwrights. However, it was revolutionary to have a being,
aside from the author, speaking of such themes, especially when this being is
speaking to his or herself. When
Robinson Crusoe is ship wrecked, he becomes very introspective because he is
forced to withdraw from society and look inside of himself for all of his
needs. Crusoe’s inner dialogue is seen
when he ponders on his solitary life as,
better than sociable, for when I began
to regret the want of Conversation, I would ask
myself whether…conversing mutually with
my own thoughts, and, as I hope I may say,
with even God himself by Ejaculations,
was not better than the utmost Enjoyment of
humane Society in the World (Defoe 107).
Though
Crusoe struggles with loneliness and want of company (another universal theme),
he retreats into his inner being and discovers that being alone with his
thoughts could be more satisfying than any of the pleasures that society could
offer. The fact that this invaluable
lesson was delivered through a simple character, was revolutionary and would
open the door for many authors to mimic and improve upon the use of the
introspective narrator.
Published
over a century later in 1847, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre improves upon the use of the introspective narrator through
the coming of age story of the title character.
Like Daniel Defoe, Charlotte Brontë is considered an innovator who further
expanded the use of the narrator in the novel.
“Called the first historian of the private consciousness, Charlotte
Bronte has also been seen rightly as the ancestor of the 20th-century interior
novelists such as Marcel Proust, James Joyce, and Virginia Woolf” (Burt, 224). Brontë not only pioneered the use of a narrator
that allowed the reader access to their innermost thoughts, but she also led
the way for others to do the same (particularly Virginia Woolf whose
contributions will later be discussed). The
novel Jane Eyre is a bildungsroman
that follows the life and experiences of the title character as she discovers
herself. The revolutionary part of the
novel is that the reader is not only able to follow Jane Eyre’s experiences as
the plot unfolds, but the reader is also able to follow Jane’s emotional experiences
through her narration. This is seen
early on in the novel when Jane is a young girl under the care of her aunt,
Mrs. Reid, who resents Jane’s presence in her home. When Jane finally stands up to her aunt by
telling her how deceitful and unkind she has been, she reflects on the exchange,
thinking to herself, “Ere I had finished this reply, my soul began to expand,
to exult, with the strangest sense of freedom, of triumph, I ever felt. It seemed as if an invisible bond had burst,
and that I had struggled out into unhoped-for liberty” (Bronte, 20). By allowing the reader access to the
innermost thoughts of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë contributes to the evolution
of the narrator, moving from Defoe’s “simple” narrator in Robinson Crusoe to a
more introverted narrator in Jane Eyre. However,
one must recognize that the complete evolution of the narrator had not yet come
to fruition. Though the character Jane
allows the readers into the recesses of her mind, it is important to keep in
mind that the element of storytelling is still very prominent in the
narrator. For example, at the beginning
of the final chapter, Jane breaks from some of the earlier use of stream of
consciousness and introspective dialogue to speak directly to the reader
saying, “Reader, I married him” (Bronte, 289).
Like Robinson Crusoe, Jane is not a fully developed entity in herself
because she is acting as a narrator who is shaping a story to be told, rather
than allowing thoughts to flow freely as will be seen in more modern literature.
Ultimately, Jane Eyre’s inner and outer dialogue displays the evolution of the
narrator, as well as areas for growth towards what we now consider the modern
narrator. Regardless of the progress of
the narrator, what remains constant is the ability of the narrator to address
human experiences in a more relatable manner.
The
coming of age story of Jane Eyre touches on many relevant universal themes,
including the theme of social standing and classifications. When the story begins, Jane is an orphan
being cared for by a resentful aunt. The
story traces her meager existence as a student and employee at Lowood School,
and eventually as a governess at Thornfield Manor owned by a gentleman named Rochester. Jane is not only fully aware of her social
standing, or lack thereof, but she also scoffs at the idea that her social
standing defines her person. This is
seen when Jane begins to fall in love with Rochester and speaks to him
regarding their differing social classes:
Do you think, because I am poor,
obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong-- I
have as much soul as you,—and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and
much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now
for me to leave you (Bronte, 161).
Because the
novel is set during the Victorian period in England, Jane Eyre is subject to
rules of social hierarchy. However, she
scoffs at these rules when she says the aforementioned quote to Rochester. At this point in the novel, she realizes the
unfairness and double standard of the social classification system. The only reason she is not considered a match
for Rochester is due to her financial standing and occupation as
governess. However, on many accounts she
is Rochester’s equal in intellect and manners.
As an introspective narrator, Jane is better able to address the issue
of class because the reader has been allowed almost unlimited access to the
experience and emotions of the narrator.
The reader is able to connect to the narrator as a separate being with a
story, as opposed to an author with a specific message for the reader. As the introspective narrator continues to
evolve, the reader is allowed to escape through the narrator’s stream of
conscious thoughts as will be seen in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway.
Written in 1925, Mrs. Dalloway broke the mold for what had
become the modern narrator and narrative novel.
Unlike the aforementioned individual stories which span years, Mrs. Dalloway takes place in solely one
day and tells the story of many narrators.
The amazing part of this novel is that despite being offered the
perspective of many narrators, the reader is still able to make a connection to
each narrator because of the ability to enter into each character’s thoughts. Set on a Wednesday in June 1923, Mrs. Dalloway follows the ordinary
events of Clarissa Dalloway as she prepares to host a party. Although Clarissa is the main character, Mrs. Dalloway seamlessly switches from
the perspective of one character to the next, breaking with the tradition of
allowing a single author or narrator to put forth a story. This literary style of expressions of
uninterrupted thoughts and feelings can be described as stream of
consciousness. By following the mundane
activities, more specifically the mundane thoughts of individuals, Woolf revolutionizes
the use of the introspective narrator.
Liesl Olson describes Woolf’s use of stream of consciousness in Mrs.
Dalloway as asking the reader to “examine an ordinary mind on an ordinary day” (43). By giving the reader access to the inner most
workings of the human mind, the narrator is no longer someone who is attempting
to tell a story. The narrator is now
someone (and in this novel’s case multiple someones) who is simply
existing. The reader is allowed access
to the fleeting thoughts and seemingly unconnected ideas that one experiences
on a daily basis, with the narrator becoming a completely introspective being
who recalls memories and has random thoughts without the intention of telling a
story. Woolf is able to reconcile both
extraordinary moments (those moments which are easy to recall and therefore
used in retelling of stories) as well as ordinary moments of simply being. The seamless way that Woolf blends both
extraordinary moments of storytelling with ordinary moments of introspective
narration demonstrates the evolution of the narrator within the novel. Like the aforementioned novels, this
revolutionary use of narration allows the reader to connect with the narrators,
therefore connect to universal themes on a more personal level.
One of the major themes of Mrs.
Dalloway is the idea of attempting to find the balance between communication
and privacy, specifically touching on the lack of privacy experienced in life. As the main character, Clarissa Dalloway,
prepares for the party she is hosting, she allows her mind to wander and she
recalls a particular experience in her young adulthood with Sally Seton. It is an experience that years later,
Clarissa thinks of with fondness. She
describes this memory stating,
She
and Sally fell a little behind. Then
came the most exquisite moment of her whole life
passing
a stone urn with flowers in it. Sally
stopped; picked a flower; kissed her on the
lips. The whole word might have turned upside
down! The others disappeared; there she
was
alone with Sally (Woolf, 52).
The young girls
are hardly given time to take in the moment before they are interrupted by
their friend Peter Walsh, who is vying for Clarissa’s affection. Through her recollection, Clarissa allows the
reader into the deepest recesses of her mind, where she allows her precious
memories to reside. In his article Virginia Woolf’s Idea of Privacy, Joshua
Rothman expounds upon this scene by describing the personal privacy that each
individual holds within their thoughts. He
discusses the idea of privacy stating, “Many people accept the idea that each
of us has a certain resolute innerness—a kernel of selfhood that we can’t share
with others…What interested Woolf was the way that we become aware of that
innerness” (Rothman). Through
introspective narration, Woolf leads the reader to an awareness of that
innerness. She allows the reader to
witness the exquisiteness of those ordinary thoughts that we hold as sacred,
those thoughts that remain special because they remain tucked away in
privacy. The article goes on to discuss
these moments as “a gift” that people should cherish and attempt to hold as
dear, special, memories.
However, as important as the theme
of privacy was to Woolf, she also stressed the importance of trying to find a
balance between communication and privacy.
In Rothman’s Virginia Woolf’s Idea
of Privacy, he speaks of this privacy as a gift that should remain unopened
and protected, “not just from others’ prying eyes, but from your own”
(Rothman). He also argues that there
are both “costs and benefits to maintaining this kind of inner privacy”. This balance of communication and privacy is
seen from the perspective of Clarissa’s husband, Richard Dalloway. On an ordinary day, Richard Dalloway decides
to purchases a dozen red roses to surprise Clarissa with a romantic
gesture. He plans to present the flowers
to Clarissa and say “I love you” which is an unusual action for Richard. However, during his walk home, the reader is
allowed access to his fleeting thoughts and what started as a romantic act
becomes an awkward and all too honest inner dialogue. Richard thinks it “…a miracle he should have
married Clarissa” in the first place (Dalloway, 62). Ultimately, Richard presents Clarissa with
the flowers but does not speak to her of his thoughts of love nor regret. These thoughts within Richard’s innerness
straddle the thin line between privacy and communication because he chooses to
keep these inner thoughts from “prying eyes”.
Paradoxically, through the introspective narration in the novel, the
reader is provided firsthand access to the very information meant to be veiled. Furthermore, it is through this introspective
view, that one can see how Woolf challenges the status quo of English society. This revolutionary use of stream of
consciousness led to a less chronological and more realistic story
telling. Unlike Robinson Crusoe and Jane
Eyre that had a logical, progressive movement, Mrs. Dalloway advances as a
gushing flow of ideas, emotions, and multiple realities, allowing the reader to
be swept away by the themes that seemed to be effortlessly hidden within an
ordinary mind on an ordinary day.
Thus far, the use of the
introspective narrator has evolved from a character who was used to move a
story along, to multiple characters used to address universal themes. Published in 1952, the novel Invisible Man continues to revolutionize
the use of the narrator by not even identifying the narrator. Though the narrator is telling his story, the
reader is never formally introduced to the narrator who feels that he lacks
identity, and is therefore invisible. This
technical decision breaks from the previous novels discussed, where the main narrator’s
name is given to the title of the book.
Another evolution in the use of introspective narration follows along
the lines of stream of consciousness. In
Ellison’s Invisible Man, the line is
blurred between who the narratee is. In both
Jane Eyre and Robinson Crusoe, there is no doubt that the novels were crafted
specifically to relate a story to the reader.
However, like Mrs. Dalloway, Invisible Man follows the innermost
thoughts of the narrator, without any specific message to be had. In his essay The Narrator/Narratee Relationship in Invisible Man, Michael Fabre
touches on this subject saying, “it is difficult to characterize the narratee
because the narrator does not direct his narration explicitly towards anyone—he
may be his own narratee in a sort of soliloquy” (Fabre ?). The narrator becomes the narratee because it
is almost as if the reader is listening in on a private conversation that the narrator
is having with himself. This is in direct contrast to previous works
such as Jane Eyre where the narrator has a direct audience and purpose. In Invisible
Man, it isn’t until the very end that there seems to be a direct purpose in
the narrator’s words. The Invisible Man
calls the reader to action, saying, “Who knows but that, on the lower
frequencies, I speak for you” (Ellison, 205).
The narrator uses this to draw the reader into his plight, suggesting
that the issue of identity might resonate among everyman. Aside from this direct address, the rest of
the novel is as if the narrator is speaking to himself the entire novel. The
narrator is now representing an even greater focus on the inner self and
self-consciousness. In addition, this Invisible Man represents a shift in
narrative style based on social events, specifically the modernist movement,
where modernists began to use writing as a social outlet to address global
themes.
The theme represented in Ellison’s Invisible Man, is stated directly in the
title: invisibility, or lack of identity.
It is through the inner dialogue of a narrator who himself lacks
identity, that the reader is able to connect with him and his message. The narrator opens his soliloquy by stating,
“I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me” (Ellison
1). This quote demonstrates the main
theme of the novel which is the lack of individual identity due to stereotypes
and racism. The narrator considers
himself invisible because there are those who are blinded by racial
stereotypes, and he feels that he will never truly be seen for who he is. Though not physically invisible, the
sentiments of the narrator reflect the feelings of many African Americans in
the 1950s, particularly due to the many advances in the Civil Rights
movement. This new found focus on the
individual and consciousness reflects W.E.B. Du Bois’ 1903 theory of “double
consciousness,” which discusses the difficulty of reconciling both an African
history and an American upbringing.
Again, this novel follows the modernist movement in that it was now a
common occurrence for the narrator and the author to be two completely separate
entities, although the issues addressed spoke to everyman. It is through the personal conversation that
the narrator has with himself that readers are able to more intimately connect
with the universal theme, and the idea of self is fully understood.
The use of the narrator in novels has
evolved tremendously over the last few centuries. The narrator has advanced from a story teller
to one who connected to the reader by allowing the reader to see the story
through their own eyes, experiences, and emotions. Robinson
Crusoe was innovative in that it was one of the first novels that
introduced the importance of the narrator’s musings. Jane
Eyre followed suit, however, both novels still followed traditions in
storytelling. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, was extremely revolutionary
because it introduced stream of consciousness, where the reader was asked to
examine “an ordinary life on an ordinary day”.
Lastly, Invisible Man offers
the same intimacy as Mrs. Dalloway,
through a narrator who remains unknown.
Through all of these introspective narrators, the reader is able to
relate to the universal themes that are both directly and indirectly addressed
through perspective. Literature has done
what I was never able to do in my fights with my sister: it offers a voice and
a perspective for those who might not otherwise be heard; and like Ellison’s
invisible narrator, it is possible that the narrator might speak for you one
day as well.
Works Cited
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre.
London: Service & Paton, 1897. Kindle file.
Burt, Daniel S. The Literary 100.
New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. Print.
Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe.
London: Seely Service & Co., 1919. Kindle file.
Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man.
New York: Random House, Inc, 1947. Print.
Fabre, Michel. “The Narrator/Narratee Relationship in Invisible Man.” Callaloo. 25: 1985. 535-
543. Print.
Lubbock, Percy. The Craft of
Fiction. Charleston: BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2007. Print.
Olson, Liesl M. “Virginia Woolf’s “cotton wool of daily life.” Journal of Modern Literature 26.2
(2003): 42-66. Print.
Realism. Writers History Literature Portal, 2008. Web. 30 Nov
2014.
Robinson Crusoe. Lit Charts. Web. 30 Nov 2014 <http://www.litcharts.com/lit/robinson-
crusoe>.
Rothman, Joshua. “Virginia Woolf’s Idea of Privacy.” The New Yorker. 9 July 2014. Web. 30
Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc,
1925. Print.
No comments:
Post a Comment