Among the best known narrative techniques in Literature are flashback, foreshadowing, suspense, third person narrator, symbolism, red herring, epiphany, cliffhanger, allegory, parody, subplot or frame story as well as such figures of speech as metaphor, personification, oxymoron and irony.
In this post, you will have a large collection of the types of narrative techniques in Literature.
The examples you will find are taken from both prose and drama. In fact, though I’ve devoted another post to this topic with specific reference to Second Class Citizen, I’ve added a few examples of narrative techniques in Second Class Citizen and The Lion and the Jewel here.
Without further ado, let’s begin with a definition of “narrative technique.”
What Are Narrative Techniques in Literature?
Narrative techniques in Literature are often explained as “literary techniques” or “literary devices” . Some call them “fictional devices” because they are mostly found in fiction such as Second Class Citizen and The Invisible Man.
While narrative technique is commonly associated with prose, dramatic technique is concerned with drama.
With that being said, it is much simpler to understnd exactly what narrative techniques in Literature are when we give it a clearer definition. See below a definition of narrative techniques in Literature.
Narrative Techniques – Definition
A narrative technique in Literature is the manner in which a writer conveys what they want to say to their reader and the methods that they use to say it as they develop a story.
Elements Containing Narrative Techniques in Literature
The various elements of narrative techniques in fiction, for example, can be broken down into six distinct categories.
- Character
- Perspective or Point of View
- Setting
- Theme
- Style
- Plot
As you may already be aware, each of the above elements plays an important role in developing a story.
It is through these that the writer conveys their message to their audience in a unique and deliberate way.
Therefore, the types of narrative techniques in Literature you’re about to see are each related to at least one of the above categories of the major elements in any given literary work.
SEE ALSO:
20+ Narrative Techniques in Second Class Citizen
60 Likely WAEC Questions on Fences
What is Narrative Structure in Literature?
It is now time to take a look at some of the commonest narrative techniques in Literature.
1. Setting
This technique is present in fiction when a place, house, landscape, time or atmosphere is used almost as an additional character in the story. Quite often, the setting is designed to reflect a character or characters that are associated with it.
2. Symbolism
Writers often employ objects, setting, other elements in nature or abstract ideas to represent a concept or thought. This is basically what the use of symbols in literature is about.
For example, a constant reference to a particular building in a literary work may be that the author is using that building to stand for a major concept or theme.
Such a theme could be anything like the depravity of the human soul, the trappings of riches or the horrors of war.
3. Foreshadowing
Writers use foreshadowing when they indirectly or directly suggest events or outcomes that will happen later in the narrative or play.
They employ incidents, characters’ utterances or objects within the story to achieve this effect.
For example, in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s utterance below foreshadows his eventual tragic death.
My life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.
William Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet
4. Flashback
Taking the reader out of the main story, a flashback practically shoves them into a hitherto unknown past, showing them events that happened within that past and which have an impact on the incidents or characters in the present day of the story timeline.
5. Flash Forward
Flash forward, on the other hand, transports the reader out of an otherwise chronological story, to show them events that will happen in the future and which will have had an impact on current events and the characters.
The difference between foreshadowing and flash forward is that the former is more nuanced and consists mostly of indirect references while the latter is a a clear account of an invent from the future.
6. First Person Narrator
The first person narrator or point of view is when a writer tells the story from the point of view or perspective of a character inside the narrative.
In most cases, the firs person narrator is also the protagonist. One distinctive feature of the first person narrative technique is the use of the first-person pronoun in all its forms such as I, me, we and my.
7. Unreliable Narrator
We generally assume that most first-person narrators are unreliable eye-witnesses of events in which they are, personally, active participants.
Since first person narrators are often key characters in the story they are telling, they tend to be occasionally dishonest, sometimes showing open bias borne out of self-interest.
An unreliable narrator will go out of their way to mislead the reader in order to serve a particular purpose. This could be in the form of adding an element of shock or intrigue to the story.
Moreover, such narrators are known to tell half-truths as a ploy to portray themselves as victims or heroes or both. In many instances, the overriding motive is to earn undeserved sympathy from their audience.
8. Second Person Narrator
Though not a common narrative technique, the second person narrator is a favourite among some writers.
In such scenarios, the narrator addresses the reader directly. He makes them feel they are the central character in the novel. For this reason, the second person pronoun “you” and its other forms dominate the narrative.
Obviously, the goal is to make the reader feel a sense of responsibility and accountability.
9. Third Person Narrator or Omniscient Narrator
This narrative technique in Literature is arguably the commonest among writers of fiction.
The third person narrator is often an outsider who positions himself as an all-knowing eye-witness.
Again, this narrator professes to know everything that goes on with every character including their psychological and emotional state.
Comparatively, the third person narrative point of view tends to be objective. Third person narrators tend to give a more reliable account of events since they have nothing to gain by being dishonest or bias.
10. Multiperspectivity
Multiperspectivity is on display when a narrative has both multiple narrators and perspectives. This narrative technique is used to show different points of view from different characters.
Multiperspectivity is commonly associated with an all-knowing, or omniscient, third-person narrator.
For example, the story of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is told from the perspective of an omniscient narrator, through the lens of multiple characters.
11. Author Surrogate
Granted, most writers love to place elements of their own personality into their characters, but this is not exactly what we mean by the author surrogate narrative technique.
An author surrogate is a more direct version of the above. It is when the author makes a chosen character exibit the same attributes or personality traits, personal preferences, views and moral standards as their own.
In many ways, the author surrogate is one of those narrative techniques in Literature that is associated with semi-autobiographical writing especially where the author does not want to come clear about their own identity in the story.
12. Authorial Commentary
Authorial commentary usually comes in the form of subtle intrusive statements which betray the author’s personal feelings and opinions on an issue, event or character.
An author could employ such commentary side by side any of the points of view I’ve explained above.
In Petals of Blood , a novel by the Kenyan writer, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, you will find a good number of what are clearly authorial comments. This is almost always the case whenever there is an incident involving the character known as Karega.
13. The Nameless Character or Anonymous Protagonist
It is common to read novels where the writer never discloses the name of the main character.
Though the anonymous protagonist has for a long time been part of the literary movement, it has been growing in popularity in recent years.
Ralph Ellison’s novel, Invisible Man, Joseph O’Neill’s The Dog and The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born by the Ghanaian writer, Ayi Kwei Armah are examples of this type of narrative technique in Literature.
14. Red Herring
The Red herring technique is popular in crime and mystery stories. You have a red herring when a writer diverts the reader’s attention onto another character or element of the story in order to distract them from the truth.
It is effective in developing an atmosphere of suspense and intrigue in the literary work.
The Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie detective stories are examples of this literary technique.
15. Suspense
Suspense is another effective tool writers employ to create sustained interest in their narratives or plays.
As one of many narrative techniques in Literature, suspense may be developed through the novelist withholding the outcome of a particular incident from the reader for as long as possible.
16. Flat Characterization
A flat character in Literature is the one-sided or mono-dimensional character. This is a character whose manner of acting or thinking hardly changes in the narrative.
Such characters tend to be carricatures or stereotypes and, for that matter, easily predictable.
A flat character is likely not to be taken seriously. Clowns, jesters, low class citizens are often presented as flat characters.
17. Round Character
A round character, on the other hand, is the one who develops with the story. They are multi-dimensional in nature and, for that matter, quite complex and unpredictable.
18. Epiphany
An epiphany refers to a sudden realization by a character. This moment of discovery can have a dramatic impact on a story.
It usually relates to a solution or different perspective emerging suddenly after a character had had to deal with a difficult situation for a long time.
In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, for example, while sailing from Denmark to England, the title character suddenly has an epiphany moment. This is when he comes to the sudden realization that he must take revenge for his father’s murder.
19. Backstory
A backstory is the part of the narrative that reflects on events that happen before the main body of the story occurs.
In other words, the backstory is a literary techniques which provides context for what happens in the present time.
Many prologues serve this purpose. However, it isn’t uncommon to see glimpses of the backstory being shared throughout a linear timeline, often by using character reflections.
In Frankenstein, for example, references are made to past experiences of both Dr. Frankenstein and the creature. Those events help deepen the reader’s understanding of the characters.
20. Repetitive Designation
Writers employ repetition to emphasize specific points in their stories.
Repetitive designation, as a narrative technique, makes use of repeated references to either a character or object.
At first, this reference appears unimportant, but later, it proves to be a crucial part of the narrative.
An example is the repetitive references the narrator makes to “The Presence” in Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta.
21. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
As the name suggests, a writer will use this narrative technique to have characters make predictions about the future, which then come to pass as a result of them thinking about that event.
In Buchi Emecheta’s novel, Second Class Citizen, the little girl, Adah’s fantasies of life in the United Kingdom become her self-fulfilling prophecy when she finds herself in that country.
22. Narrative Hook
A narrative hook refers to the narrative style that grips the reader firmly right from the beginning. Usually found at the start of the narrative, narrative hooks entice the reader to keep on reading.
Consider the below two examples which are the opening lines from Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen respectively.
It all began like a dream. You know, that sort of dream which seems to have originated from nowhere, yet one was already aware of its existence. One could feel it, one could be directed by it; unconsciously at first, until it became a reality, a Presence.
Buchi Emecheta – Second Class Citizen
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice
23. Allegory
An allegory is a symbolic story, often religious or spiritual in nature, that reflects on elements of what it’s like to be human.
John Bunyan’s classic, Pilgrim’s Progress, featuring the spritual journey of a character named Christian, is often cited as a good example of an allegorical narrative.
24. Hyperbole
Hyperbole is one more of the most popular narrative techniques in Literature. It uses extreme exaggeration to create a lasting impression or strong feelings in the reader.
Here is an example for you.
Describing a communal dining incident in his classic novel, Things Fall Apart, the legendary Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe, describes the size of the food that the host has served the guests in hyperbolic terms. The food is so huge that some diners are able to see those on the other side only after they had finished the meal.
25. Sensory Detail
Sensory detail and imagery are a commonly-used technique to help readers create mental images of a scene, using descriptive language that touches specifically on the five senses.
26. Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a literary device which involves the use of a word whose pronunciation sounds similar to the particular activity or sound it is referring to.
A few examples are:
Coo, boo, meaw, buzz, splash, screech, roar, hoot and twitter.
27. Parody
Parody refers to a literary technique whereby the writer mocks or conveys humour through exaggerated and over-the-top imitation.
Many readers and critics regard Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels as a parody of English society.
28. Personification (Anthropomorphism)
Personification is where the writer gives human-like characteristics and traits to non-human elements.
Anthropomorphism is a form of personification. It refers to the portrayal of animals as human.
In the following extract from Chapter 5 of Buchi Emecheta’s novel, Second Class Citizen, both the phenomenon referred to as “The Presence” and nature are personified.
Where had she gone wrong? She wished the Presence was still with her to give her a clue but it seemed to have deserted her when she landed in England. Was the Presence her instinct? It had been very active in Nigeria. Was that because in Nigeria she was nearer Mother Nature? She only wished somebody would tell her where she had gone wrong.
Buchi Emecheta -Second Class Citizen
29. Pathetic Fallacy
This is where the mood of a character shows up in non-human objects surrounding them.Many fiction writers use lements of the weather such as rain, sunshine, snow, storms and fog to suggest a character’s frame of mind in a given moment of the story.
For instance, an author may use thunderstorms or driving rain to depict the intensity of anger or sadness of major characters.
30. Oxymoron
The literary device, oxymoron, involves the use of two words of opposite meanings that a writer deliberately places near each other to register the effect he desires.
“dark brightness”, “motherly father” and “distant nearness” are examples of oxymoron. You will find it used often in most literary works.
MUST SEE: 30+ Easy Examples of Oxymoron in Literature
31. Metaphor
If you pay very close attention to what people say all the time, you will realize that we all use metaphors on a daily basis. It does not matter the kind of language the speaker is using.
In fact, metaphor is arguably the most popular literary technique you will find in Literature.
Metaphorical expressions involve the unusual use of words to express ideas. Often, it is all about likening one unlike object or concept to another.
When this comparison of two unlike things does not contain such words as “like” or “as”, we call it metaphor.
32. Simile
Just like metaphor, simile is when we use words in the same manner. The only difference between the two is that simile involes the use of expressions of comparison such as “like”, “as” and “the way”.
Below is an extract from Second Class Citizen Chapter 13 containing the use of both simile and metaphor.
Francis did not reply for a while, but went on feeding crumpled sheets into the stove and watching the burnt papers flying lifelessly about the room like black birds. He blocked Adah’s view on purpose with his broad back.
Buchi Emecheta – Second Class Citizen
33. Frame Story (Story Within a Story)
The frame story or story within a story is among the many narrative techniques in Literature. It is where a narrative contains other separate (almost stand-alone) stories or subplots
The purpose of this narrative technique could be to develop the plot or a particular theme or simply say more about a character.
Examples of the narrative technique known as the frame story or subplot in Second Class Citizen by the Nigerian author Buchi Emecheta are the stories of the characters Babalola, Alice and Mr Noble (Pa Noble).
The scene of “The Lost Traveller” in The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka is another example of this literary technique.
34. Plot Twist
There is a plot twist (or a turning point in the plot) when something unexpected happens in a narrative.
A plot twist represents a pivotal moment in the life of at least one character and in the plot of the story as a whole
35. Cliffhanger
Cliffhanger is yet another interesting narrative technique in plot development in Literature. A cliffhanger occurs when a writer leaves a story open-ended and unresolved.
In the movie industry, for example, directors would love viewers to come back for the next episode or sequel.
For that matter, directors or writers will leave a number of questions unanswered or conflicts unresolved either inside or at the end of the current story.
Final thoughts
I trust that you will find this collection of types of narratives techniques in Literture a useful resource. Which of them do you think are present in any of the literature texts you’re studying? Let me know in a brief comment below.
Did you find this information helpful? Then share it on your favourite social media platform for the benefit of others you care about. Thank you!
