4.4 Types of narration like stream of consciousness

Introduction

Welcome to study guide 4.4! Here, we’ll be looking at the various types of narration possible in writing, and the kind of impact each of them can have. This will hark back to study guide 1.4. If you’ve read that guide, you will probably see some familiar ideas here!

Types of Narration

Let’s go through the different types of narration you can have first:

• First-person narration: a story told from the perspective of one of the characters, using words like "I" and "me." Examples include "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger and "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.
• Third-person limited narration: a story told from the perspective of an omniscient narrator, but only focusing on the thoughts and feelings of one character. Examples include "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen.
• Third-person omniscient narration: a story told from the perspective of an all-knowing narrator, who has access to the thoughts and feelings of all characters. Examples include "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy and "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville.
• Stream-of-consciousness narration: a story told through the inner thoughts and feelings of a character, often in a disjointed or non-linear way. Examples include "Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Woolf and "Ulysses" by James Joyce.
• Objective narration: a story told from a neutral or detached perspective, without revealing the thoughts or feelings of any characters. Examples include "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway and "The Stranger" by Albert Camus.

Impact of Narration Types

• First-person narration: This type of narration allows the reader to experience the story through the eyes and thoughts of one specific character. This can create a sense of intimacy and closeness between the reader and the character, making the reader feel as if they are living the story alongside the character. However, it can also limit the reader's understanding of other characters and their motivations.
• Third-person limited narration: This type of narration allows the reader to experience the story through the thoughts and feelings of one specific character, while still providing a sense of the broader events and actions of the other characters. This can create a sense of empathy and understanding for the central character, while also providing a sense of the larger context of the story.
• Third-person omniscient narration: This type of narration allows the reader to experience the story through the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters, which can provide a greater understanding of the story's themes and conflicts.
• Stream-of-consciousness narration: This type of narration can make the reader feel as if they are inside the mind of the character, experiencing their thoughts and feelings in real-time. This can create a sense of confusion, disorientation, and uncertainty, as the character's thoughts may not be fully formed or logical. It also allows the reader to experience the story in a more subjective, emotional way.
• Objective narration: This type of narration allows the reader to experience the story in a detached, neutral way, which can create a sense of detachment or distance from the characters. This can be useful for stories that focus on the bigger picture, such as the impact of historical events or the workings of a particular system. It also allows the reader to make their own judgments based on the objective information presented without any bias.

Example Passage

Question: What type of narration does the following passage use?

"The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and the smell of fresh cut grass filled the air. I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and contentment as I walked down the street. Thoughts of the meeting I had earlier in the day came flooding back - the tension in the room, the anxiety of presenting my proposal. But now, as I walked, those thoughts seemed distant and insignificant. The sound of a car honking brought me back to the present, and I realized I was nearing my destination. I couldn't wait to see her, to tell her about my day and to hear about hers. As I climbed the steps to her apartment, my heart began to race, and I couldn't help but smile at the thought of seeing her again." [written by ChatGPT]

If you chose stream of consciousness, you’re right! In the passage above, the stream of consciousness style of narration gives readers an intimate look into the speaker’s thoughts, emotions and sensory experiences. It helps readers to understand the character's feelings of peace and contentment, and to see the contrast between the character's present feelings and the tension and anxiety that they felt earlier in the day. The narration style creates a sense of immediacy and realism, making the story more engaging and relatable. The readers can feel the excitement and anticipation that the character feels as they approach their destination.

Conclusion

In this study guide, we discussed the different types of narration in writing: first-person, third-person limited, third-person omniscient, stream-of-consciousness, and objective narration. Each type of narration has its own unique impact on the reader, such as creating a sense of intimacy or detachment, confusion or clarity, and empathy or distance. First-person narration allows the reader to experience the story through the eyes and thoughts of one specific character, while third-person limited narration allows the reader to experience the story through the thoughts and feelings of one specific character, while still providing a sense of the broader events and actions of the other characters. Third-person omniscient narration allows the reader to experience the story through the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters, stream-of-consciousness narration can make the reader feel as if they are inside the mind of the character, experiencing their thoughts and feelings in real-time and objective narration allows the reader to experience the story in a detached, neutral way.