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Who's Pulling the Strings? Why Narration Matters

Published on September 24, 2024

By Allie

What makes a book extraordinary?

Maybe it’s compelling characters, gripping plotlines, or a thought-provoking theme. And sure, I suppose that’s fair. But today we’re homing in on an equally important element that’s often overlooked—the narration.

If you’re an audiobook reader, you might imagine the “narrator” as the voice actor reciting chapters in a recording studio. But that’s not who we’re talking about.

Every story—whether it’s print or audio, fiction or nonfiction—has a narrator. If a story is being told, it’s being told by someone…or something.

I won’t dive into the whole “first-person, subjective, omniscient” hullabaloo. However, the narration really does matter—especially to you, reader. And here’s why.

Who is the narrator?

Simply put, the narrator is the one telling the story to the reader. Remember: the narrator is not necessarily the author. After all, one author can write several narrators—of which there are many kinds.

Sometimes the narrator is a character within the story; sometimes they’re not. If they’re a secret narrator, they won’t reveal who they are for several chapters—you know, #LadyWhistledownStyle.

One story may have multiple narrators, each offering differing or opposing perspectives. The narrator might not even be a person, but something else: an animal, a supernatural being, a concept (such as Death, who narrates Zusak’s The Book Thief), or even an object. That’s right, an object. It’s like the Wild West out there and boy howdy, am I here for it.

P.S. Keep reading to find a booklist of unusual narrators.

How does the narrator tell the story?

The style of narration influences the reader’s understanding of the story. For example, a stream-of-consciousness narrator might trail off onto tangents, exposing details about themselves that other characters might not know.

Non-linear narration depicts scenes outside of their chronological order, usually to conceal context until a specific moment. We see this in Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, as Kathy recalls her childhood schooldays while holding back a secret—a pretty big one.

Personality and tone also factor in. Is the narrator likeable? Sassy? Quirky? Perhaps they’re an unreliable narrator with an ulterior motive. Watch out for those little sneaks.

Bottom line, the narrator’s characteristics shape the story—sometimes in ways that persuade the reader to reach specific conclusions.

Why does the narration matter?

Narration matters because one story can look very different through the eyes of a different person, with their own unique experiences and values. This is why reading fiction—and nonfiction stories—is known to develop empathy in its readers.

Let’s take a gander at the Harry Potter series. It’s mostly told from a third-person limited point of view; the narrator isn’t Harry, but they tell the story from Harry’s perspective and have access to his thoughts. It's fair to say, then, that most readers generally root for Harry.

Now imagine if the series had a different narrator; let’s say the devious Professor Snape or the spiteful Draco Malfoy. From their standpoints, who would the hero be? Which scenes would the reader now have access to? How might their inner monologues change our understanding of the series’ beloved characters and the story as a whole?

Don’t forget to consider the narrator’s motivation—the reason they’re telling the story in the first place. Take this blog, for instance. Is it possible anyone could be this passionate about narration? Or did the author simply choose this topic as a ploy—that the world might finally accept Snape as the ultimate antihero of Harry Potter?