Narrative structure and techniques used by author - Essay Example

no. Narrative structure and Techniques Different use different narrative structures and techniques in writing their pieces and expressing their idea in written work. Among the techniques that authors can exploit while doing their literature work include first person narrator, narrative chronology, use of plot, and third person omniscient among other techniques. In cases where authors use the first person narration, they tend to be the speaking voices in such writing and narrations. Most writing deploys the use of the first person narration.

In the narrative chronology, the writing usually takes even that are defined by time. In other words, events presented in the narration are presented according to time or seasons. Narrative chronology also involves the use of foreshadowing techniques. Additionally, the author may also opt for the third person omniscient where all the ideas in the writing are passed to the reader through the third person. However, it should be noted that one piece of writing may deploy all these mentioned narrative techniques.

For instance, an author may decide to transcend from first person to third person omniscient. Moreover, an author may move change from the first person to third person nation has he narrates different events over time. Therefore, this essay aims at the use of these techniques in three writing including Richard Wright’s Native Son, Henry James’ Maisie knew, and Willa Cather’s the professors’ House. Richard Wright talks about Native Son, a young black man who was caught in a downward spiral.

This young man is arrested after killing as young white woman after raping her. The story or the book mainly represented in a chronological narration. The narration starts with young man being taken to jail but later tells out what led to the events that are setting him to be taken to jail. In this application, the novel also incorporates the use of flashback as a nation technique. Additionally, the novel is set in a time when hopelessness and poverty was the main experience of the black Americans.

For instance, Wright states “Men can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as they can from a lack of bread (Wright 291).” Moreover, he used third person omniscient to describe the atrocities that the black Americans were subjected during this moment in time. He states, “They hate because they fear, and they fear because they feel that the deepest feelings of their lives are being assaulted and outraged. And they do not know why; they are powerless pawns in a blind play of social forces (Wright 281).

” In these sentences, he used “they” (third person omniscient) to describe the black Americans during slavery. The James’ What Maisie Knew tells a story of sensitive daughter of irresponsible and divorced parents. Notably, the book uses narrative chronology as it traces the life of this daughter right from early childhood through to precocious maturity. For instance, James noted in the novel that “By the time she had grown sharper (James 194) (this reflect the childhood development to full and wise person),.

, she found in her mind a collection of images and echoes to which meanings were attachable- images and echoes kept for her in the childish dusk, the dim closet, the high drawers, like games she wasn't big enough to play (James 283).” These quotes reflect how the author has concentrated on narrative chronology. It should be noted that James also used third person to represent his ideas to the reader. For example he noted that “for the harm they could, with her unconscious aid, do each other (James 152).

” In this, he reflects how the irresponsible nature of the daughters’ parents caused her much pain. “They” in this case are the parents, while “her” is the main story character, the daughter. Finally, the Professor's House by Professor Godfrey St. Peter is a story about the professors own experience; through, all is about civilization of America. However, literary, it may be taken as if the profession describes how he is never contented with the new direction his life has taken. Notably, the author has deployed the use of first person nation and the third person omniscient.

Additionally, the author has employed they use of plots. In the use of third person he has assigned characters that he has defined their roles within the novel while in the use of first person he has used himself as a character of the novel. Finally, he has used narrative chronology; for instance, he noted the "the Jazz Age" (Cather at el. 172). This defines a period in history. Moreover, he states through one of his personas that “the Jazz Age” was “"the lost generation." Some quotes that generalize the narrative structures and techniques in the Professor's House “I was thinking” … "about Euripides; how, when he was an old man, he went and lived in a cave by the sea, and it was thought queer at the time.

It seems that houses had become insupportable to him. I wonder whether it was because he had observed women so closely all his life (Cather at el. 421).” Works Cited Cather, Willa, James L. Woodress, Kari Ronning, and Frederick M. Link. The Professor's House. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2002. Print. James, Henry. What Maisie Knew. Garden City, N.Y: Doubleday, 1936. Print. Wright, Richard. Native Son. New York: HarperCollins e-books, 2009. Print.