OBJECTIVE
Answer the question concerning narrative
technique in Sun and Moon by Katherine Mansfield
GROUP MEMBERS
Francesca Fiorin
Paola Rossi
REPORTER
Silvia Santellani
Focus on the narrator
The narrator is a
voice outside the story.
The one who speaks is a non-omniscient narrator because he tells the story from a limited perspective
and looks at the events from the point of view on one or more character.
The main point
of view is Sun’s .
The narrator adopts the technique of telling (ex…much-too-long-and-tight-under-the-arms…)
The writer shows also other points of view using the
direct speech and the technique of showing (ex…Moon thought they were hats…)
·
It leaves the reader
more free to judge the events of the story.
·
It creates a double
perspective for the reader from which to judge events.
·
It shows the reader
events from a child’s perspective.
·
It allows the
narrator to make her point by compelling the reader to see events from her/his point
of view.
·
Other (specify)
The first time you read the text you see the events from the point of
view of the narrator. It’s easier to identify with Sun. Second reading brings
different points of view to surface so that the reader can understand what is
really going on in the story.
POSSIBLE INTERPRETATION
The reader can make up an idea of what happens and go on reading if he can
understand the textual clues. He can infer that the story may take place in an
aristocratic family before a concert.
Two children are watching the events, Sun seems older than Moon.
The children watch what is going on in the world of adults, in the
kitchen and in the dining-room, but they don’t seem to understand much of what
is going on.
The world of adults seems meaningless, frightening but also fascinating.
As a result, while Moon seems to enjoy what is going on, Sun doesn’t. The two
children have in fact two different characters.
The choice of an unlimited point of view allows the narrator to make her
point by compelling the reader to get involved into the children’s reaction.
This kind of narrative technique is modern: in modernity writers very rearly use an omniscient perspective.
The writer selected a restricted point of view from which to relate
facts and events in order to achieve particular effects.