The Narrative Techniques in a novel / THE NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES IN A NOVEL

Abstract

Narrating is an old human activity. It involves reflecting on possible happenings in words. A novel is an example of narrative art. It is a “world in words”, as Dresden calls it (Wereld in woorden, 1965). Gérard Genette gives an interesting analysis of the narrative act in his book Discours du récit. With examples from the novels of Sibusiso Nyembez this address tries to illustrate that Genette's book is more than just another theory of fiction.