Voices in Time

Stories give shape to virtually every human experience, and narrativization occurs every time one remembers a significant moment or event in her life. Narratologists strive to understand how these stories come to have meaning. One method by which writers attempt to reflect reality is through their choice of storytellers. Narratologists study and attempt to explain the the various tasks and possibilities for these narrators. Narratology is also concerned with the use of time markers in a story. Just as the pool of narrator types influencess the reader's perception, so do timekeeping techniques. In an effort to understand how stories provide shape to the nebulous events in real life, narratologists rely on the building blocks of formalism and structuralism. Three distinct British masterpieces, Bronte's Wuthering Heights, Conrad's Heart of Darkness, and Fowles's The French Lieutenant's Woman, deserve a closer look using narratological principles. Whether fictional tales truly imitate life or resist such imitation, narratology provides some critical tools to enhance the literary experience of readers.