MYP English Lang & Lit 3.3 Unreliable Narrators Notes

Unreliable narrators

1. (or: when the storyteller might not be telling the whole truth)

2. Sometimes the problem with a story isn’t what happens.
3. It’s who’s telling it.
4. An unreliable narrator is a narrator whose version of events cannot be fully trusted. Not always because they are lying, but because they are human.

1. What is an unreliable narrator?

1. An unreliable narrator is a narrator who:
   1. misunderstands events
   2. is biased or self-protective
   3. leaves things out
   4. exaggerates or downplays the truth
2. The reader must read between the lines to work out what is really going on.
3. In simple terms:

   1. The narrator tells a story. The reader works out the story.

2. Why writers use unreliable narrators

1. Writers use unreliable narrators to:
   1. create tension and mystery
   2. make readers question the truth
   3. reveal character flaws
   4. show how perspective shapes reality
2. Unreliability turns the reader into an active thinker, not a passive listener.

3. How narrators become unreliable

Bias

1. The narrator presents events in a way that makes themselves look better.

Limited knowledge

1. They simply don’t know everything and fill in gaps incorrectly.

Emotional involvement

1. Strong feelings cloud judgement.

Self-deception

1. The narrator lies to themselves before lying to the reader.

4. Signs a narrator might be unreliable

1. Look out for:
   1. contradictions in the narration
   2. excuses or justifications
   3. denial or avoidance
   4. overly confident statements
   5. gaps between actions and explanations
2. If something doesn’t add up, that’s usually the point.

5. Unreliable narrators and tension

1. Unreliable narration increases tension because:
   1. the reader doubts what is being said
   2. truth is delayed or hidden
   3. revelations feel more impactful
2. The tension often comes from waiting for the narrator to realise the truth, or for the reader to confirm it.

6. Unreliable narrators and character

1. Unreliability often reveals:
   1. insecurity
   2. guilt
   3. fear
   4. pride
   5. denial
2. What the narrator avoids saying is often more revealing than what they say clearly.

7. First-person and unreliable narration

1. Unreliable narrators are most common in first-person narration, because:
   1. we are trapped inside one perspective
   2. thoughts feel honest, even when they aren’t
   3. bias feels natural
2. But third-person limited narrators can also be unreliable.

8. Using PEEL to analyse unreliable narrators

You can analyse unreliable narrators using PEEL.

P: Point

1. Identify that the narrator is unreliable and why.
   1. bias
   2. denial
   3. limited understanding

E: Evidence

1. Use:
   1. a contradiction
   2. an excuse
   3. a moment of avoidance
   4. a confident claim that seems questionable

E: Explain

1. Explain:
   1. why the narrator might be unreliable
   2. what the reader suspects instead
   3. how this creates tension or meaning

L: Link

1. Link to:
   1. character flaws
   2. internal conflict
   3. theme
   4. tension

9. Now it's your turn...