The content of this work (take-away exam) deals with the features of narratives and identity and furthermore with the structures of unreliability/reliability. Peter Raggatt`s theory of the "dialogical self" and narrative and identity is explained and applied to Benjamin Zephaniah`s work "Face". Additionally Ita Daly`s "The Lady with the red shoes" is discussed on the basis of the concepts of (un)reliability.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Narrative Identity (3-5 pages; 30/100)
- (Un)reliability in the The Lady with the Red Shoes
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The purpose of this essay is to analyze the concept of unreliability in Ita Daly's short story "The Lady with the Red Shoes". It aims to explore how unreliability shapes the narrative and affects the reader's understanding of the characters and events. The essay will examine how the narrator's perspective influences the interpretation of the story.
- Unreliable Narration
- Narrative Identity
- Reader Interpretation
- Character Representation
- Speculation and Prejudice
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The essay begins by providing a brief overview of Ita Daly's "The Lady with the Red Shoes", focusing on the narrator's perspective and his observations about a mysterious woman he encounters at a hotel. The essay then introduces the concept of unreliability in narration, drawing upon the work of Ansgar F. Nünning, who provides a framework for analyzing unreliable narrators.
The essay analyzes the text through the lens of Nünning's framework, highlighting the narrator's tendency to speculate and make judgments about the lady without sufficient evidence. The essay explores the potential for misinterpretation and the role of the reader in constructing meaning from the narrator's perspective.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key concepts explored in this essay include unreliable narration, narrative identity, reader interpretation, character representation, speculation, prejudice, and the construction of meaning in fiction. The analysis centers on Ita Daly's short story "The Lady with the Red Shoes" and draws from the scholarly work of Ansgar F. Nünning on unreliable narration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is unreliable narration?
Unreliable narration occurs when a narrator's credibility is compromised, leading the reader to question their account of events. This is often due to the narrator's prejudices, psychological state, or lack of information.
How is unreliability portrayed in "The Lady with the Red Shoes"?
In Ita Daly's story, the narrator makes speculative judgments about a mysterious woman without sufficient evidence, revealing his own biases and prompting the reader to construct their own meaning.
What is Peter Raggatt's theory of the "dialogical self"?
Raggatt's theory explores how narrative and identity are intertwined, suggesting that the self is composed of multiple internal "voices" or positions that interact through stories.
Who is Ansgar F. Nünning in the context of narrative theory?
Ansgar F. Nünning is a scholar who provided a significant framework for analyzing unreliable narrators, focusing on the signals within a text that alert readers to a narrator's unreliability.
How does the reader's interpretation change with an unreliable narrator?
The reader must become an active participant, deciphering the truth behind the narrator's perspective and identifying potential gaps or falsehoods in the story.
- Arbeit zitieren
- M.A. Hülya Akkaş (Autor:in), 2009, Narrative and Identity, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/146832
