As does other writers. Why? Because they want to point out that the events are fiction. O’Brien also points out, very strongly, that there is truth in this story. Where is the truth?
This preface foreshadows how Ondaatje will be presenting his novel, furthermore illustrating hints to his polyphonic voices and its manipulation to the story’s perspective. We are already informed that the story is disordered and confused as he “attempts to carry it all in his arm”. This excerpt also suggests that memory will be the basis of this story, exploring the nature of storytelling. Ondaatje uses meta-fiction, a literary device used to self-consciously and systematically draw attention to a work's status as an artefact, this theme is evident through-out the novel. For example, “it’s a metaphor.
Realism and Romanticism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn “The only difference between reality and fiction is that fiction needs to be credible.” This quote by Mark Twain exposes some of Twain's viewpoints about literature. By Twain stating that fiction needs to be credible, he is undoubtedly sharing his partiality to Realism over Romanticism. According to Dictionary.com, his preferred literary style exposes everyday life in a clear and realistic way, a style known as Realism. In contrast, Romanticism emphasizes inspiration, subjectivity, emotion, and nature's importance. Surprisingly, even though Twain obviously prefers Realism, there are numerous aspects of Romanticism throughout Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Another great piece of literature that holds prime examples of the power of storytelling is Grace's Potiki. One of the most important, key, powers of storytelling is having the freedom of being able to convey messages and find self-worth. In the work Haroun and the Sea of Stories, the conflict that begins the action of the novel revolves around the significance of stories in a person’s life. This story expresses how storytelling and stories in general give people their freedom. When the most important people in Rashid Khalifa’s life turn on him and tell him his stories aren’t real and do not matter, he loses his story telling ability.
Their goal is to make you feel their story so deeply within the pit of your stomach that you know their words to be true. In a collection of short stories entitled, The Things They Carried, author Tim O'Brien reveals the marvels of storytelling by breaking down the barriers between fact and fiction, thus making it impossible to distinguish whether or not any given event in the stories truly happened. In the section “How to Tell a True War Story” O'Brien discloses how to ascertain the difference between a true war story and one that is untrue you should see no virtue, you should be skeptical, and you should feel the truth. In the section titled, “Sweetheart of Song Tra Bong”, O'Brien heeds each piece of advice he recited making his fictional war story true. When telling a true war story Tim O'Brien states that “[there] is no rectitude”, if at the end you feel uplifted or as if you were taught something, “you have become the victim of a very old and terrible lie” (O'Brien p. 65).
Yvonne Young British Literary Tradition II (EN246OC) Professor Abma May 29, 2011 The Truth in Heroic Allegory: S. Johnson’s “Truth, Falsehood and Fiction: an allegory” The word allegory, coming from the Latin allegoria meaning “veiled language, figurative”, is an effective literary device used by many writers to communicate messages by means of symbolic figures and extended metaphors. As it turns out, Samuel Johnson used just that in his esteemed allegorical work “Truth, Falsehood and Fiction: an allegory” where abstract concepts of human nature (good versus bad) are cleverly woven into an epic tale full of mythological and worldly characters. In this, Johnson is able to place a “mask” of figurative language over intangible, sober subject material, effectively catching the reader’s interest, while at the same time providing a deeper understanding of the true significance behind the narrative. In his essay, allegory is used to personify human concepts into tangible characters providing a deeper understanding of its teachings. For instance, the word truth can be described as honesty, reality, sincerity etc, but the heroine TRUTH, “daughter of Jupiter and Wisdom”, causes readers to envision a “majestic”, “towering” woman “conscious of superior power and juster claim” who must fight to win the hearts of men.
This creates a unique aspect to the novels in which the legitimacy of the way events are portrayed comes into question. In “Lolita” the reader is given chilling insight into the mind of a warped human being. In such a case the reader must keep the characters point of view in perspective so as to decipher the true story, which must be read between the lines to some extent. Challenging environments put psychological strain on the character, and for Humbert Humbert a society that fears his very existence forms the basis for one such environment In “Lolita” the protagonist, who uses the name Humbert Humbert, is flawed in many ways and the reader can see this by the way his point of view is warped between reality and insanity. A self-professed madman, he try’s to give reasons for his four recorded "bouts of insanity" but no amount of explaining can justify "losing contact with reality".
From out the depths of a sorrowing experience, here was a voice speaking to thousands.’ Lewes recognises Brontë has written a novel valued on realism, creating a voice that speaks to the disappointments and triumphs of its readers. The audience therefore recognises Brontë’s character of Jane Eyre as a ‘real’ character that speaks the truth, the opposite of deceit. Rhys’ use of setting enhances the dramatic themes and exotic ideas that are explored throughout the novel. In the extract where Antoinette explains to
To Become the Hunted or the Hunter In Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game,” the short story in which it describes literary and commercial themes and leans more towards literary than commercial. When reading the short story the story is strongly influenced by literary themes by stating that it shows the realism of the scenario and by the bringing the reader into the story with the details used. The first statement I will talk about is why a reader may argue that it could be commercial rather than literary only because of a couple situations throughout the story in which it may persuade the reader but overall the story is literary. The reasons why one should assume this to be literary is because of how Rainsford had been washed upon the island and has to use his world traveling hunting skills to survive and find other people. The last reason in which the reader would counter any argument and still state the short story is literary is because the feel that this story relates to the subject of addiction in todays society of someone using drugs that help them and over abusing it to the extreme to where in the end kills them without trying to seek help
Unlike Connell, Wolfe lived a more sheltered life in his community in North Carolina. The two Authors use similar elements to bring suspense to the readers. Suspense can be critical in understanding these short stories as whole. It can be the reason why you keep reading or drive you to throw the book across the room. I will be reviewing how the authors used settings, characters, dialogue and conflict to create a suspenseful short story.