1. Institut for Sprog, Kultur og Æstetik Engelsk, 1.-2. semester, 2006-2007 Tekstanalyse og -historie Jens Kirk Session Three: Narrative Prose Fiction II

2. Agenda Repair work An introduction to point of view Point of view in ”On the Western Circuit” (group work) Presentation of group work

3. An introduction to point of view What do we study when we study point of view? Whose ”version” of events are we presented with? Why has the author decided to present us with that particular version? How does he persuade us and about what by designing the point of view in a particular manner? The creation of sympathy, antipathy

4. An introduction to point of view Some competing terms: Point of view Perspective Voice Tone Persona

5. The third person omniscient point of view The intrusive point of view ”telling” The narrator comments and evaluates The unintrusive point of view ”showing” The narrator describes and reports

6. The third person omniscient point of view: intrusive ”Mrs Tulliver was what is called a good-tempered person – never cried when she was a baby, on any slighter ground than hunger and pins; and from the cradle upwards had been healthy, fair, plump, and dull witted; in short the flower of her family for beauty and amiability. But milk and mildness are not the best things for keeping, and when they turn only a little sour, they may disagree with young stomachs seriously.” (George Eliot, The Mill on the Floss) 19th century, Victorianism, realism

7. The third person limited point of view: unintrusive ”When you wet the bed first it is warm then it gets cold. His mother put on the oilsheet. That had the queer smell. His mother had a nicer smell than his father. (James Joyce, A Portrait…) The 20th century, modernism

8. The first person point of view Witness Minor participant: Dr Watson Central character: Robinson Crusoe The self-conscious narrator The unreliable narrator

9. ”On the Western Circuit”: showing or telling? ”The man who played the disturbing part in the two quiet feminine lives hereunder depicted – no great man, in any sense, by the way – first had knowledge of them on an October evening, in the city of Melchester” (1852)

10. ”On the Western Circuit”: showing or telling? Simultaneously with Edith journey home Anna and her husband at the opposite windows of a second class carriage which sped along to Knollsea. In his hand was a pocket-book full of creased sheets closely written over. Unfolding them one after another he read them in silence, and sighed. ”What are you doing, dear Charles?” She said timidly from the other window, and drew nearer to him as if he were a god. ”Reading over all those sweet letters to me signed ’Anna,’” he replied with dreary resignation. (1868).

11. ”On the Western Circuit”: showing or telling? A man sauntered into the room from behind and came forward. ”O, Edith, I didn’t see you,” he said. ”Why are you sitting here in the dark?” ”I’m looking at the fair,” replied the lady in a languid voice. ”Oh? Horrid nuisance every year! I wish it could be put a stop to.” ”I like it.” ”H’m. There’s no accounting for taste.” (1856)