Narrator
According to the Britannica Encyclopedia, a narrator is defined as “one who tells a story. In a work of fiction, the narrator determines the story’s point of view.” The narrator delivers information about the plot to the reader. Narrators can also be categorized by the way that they present their story. An intrusive narrator interrupts the story and provides general commentary to the reader on some aspect of the story. An unreliable narrator is one who intentionally or unintentionally tells events in distorted way. There are are also different types of narrators. A story that is told by a full participant in the story’s action is a first person person. Finally, an observer narrator tells the events of a story in either first or third person, but is not a major character and had limited knowledge/perspective of an individual.
Caleb Williams is the sole narrator is Godwin’s book Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams. In the first paragraph of chapter one, first volume, Caleb says “My story will, at least, appear to have that consistency which is seldom attendant but upon truth.” He claims that a consistent and coherent story will reveal the truth and that his story will do that. This also shows that Caleb will be narrating the book. This is important because it reveals that he will be the only one telling the story, even though he gets some information from other sources, like Mr. Collins.
Narrator is directly related to term unreliable narrator. This is because unreliable narrator is a type of narrator. Caleb Williams is both a narrator and and unreliable narrator. Narrator is also related to the the term Narrative.
References:
- Godwin, William. Things as they are, or, The adventures of Caleb Williams. Printed for B. Crosby, 1794.
- The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. “Narrator.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 14 Feb. 2017, www.britannica.com/art/narrator.
