Unreliable Narrators: How Writers Lie to You | Trope Notes

[@CloudKitten]

Okay so I'm still trying the thing where I drop a random fun fact about myself here so you can get to know me better. Here's one slightly related but also waaaaay off topic. One story that uses unreliable narrators as a form of retconning is Huckleberry Finn by a Mr. Mark Twain. One of Mark Twain's most popular stories is "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" which takes place in Angels Camp California. A little town out in the middle of nowhere which just happens to be where I was born, lived until I was 9, and where my dad and stepmom still live to this day. So I've jumped a great many frogs in my day and part of my first college semester was even paid for by the Mark Twain Medical Scholarship.

[@storyiseverything8953]

I love a good unreliable narrator, especially when it's well hidden and maybe they don't even know they're unreliable. Fight Club/Sixth Sense style. Good stuff!

[@CloudKitten]

Thank you!! Yeah this video really made me crave a re-watch of Figh Club, and Sixth Sense, and Memento. It seems unreliable narrators were super popular in the late 90's and early 2000's.

[@CamWolfeAuthor]

Some of the best psychological thrillers/horrors use the unreliable narrator, I love it!

[@CloudKitten]

Those definitely seem to be the genres where it's most common which I found super interesting. My main theory is that it's because they make audiences uncomfortable and so really helps put people on edge, but I am not a thriller or horror expert lol

[@jctowim2203]

My first short story is unreliable or "flawed" narrator. It was easily one of the most fun to write, yet extremely trippy even for me. Your video reminded me of it, and now I almost feel like taking it to final draft. As always, great video. I really should join your discord instead of just think about it.

[@CloudKitten]

That's awesome!! I'll be honest I haven't tried writing one myself yet, but they do sound really fun to write. And thank you for the kind words

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

This was everything i needed, i'm relieved with such quality. How this can be so good and so underrated is something i'll never understand.

[@mummytrolls]

Talking about unreliable narrators without mentioning the infamous Holden Caulfield is borderline criminal

[@sailor.britters]

Oh first comment! I got so excited when I saw this video come up, I have a hard time wrapping my head around unreliable narrators and this really helped me make sense of it so I can maybe use it in my future writing!

[@CloudKitten]

They are extremely interesting (which is what drove me to cover them). I'm excited to hear you're thinking of them as a possibility for future stories, so many people reject them off the bat because they're a bit more complicated than the normal narrator. But there are some stories that just really need some unreliability

[@sailor.britters]

@@CloudKitten exactly! I’m excited to dabble in it.

[@tropetrinitytrilogy8533]

I've just been binge watching your videos while also hoping for another. Last night I was researching unreliable narrators... idk if I should be excited or scared.

[@CloudKitten]

That timing is perfect! I also don't know whether to be excited or scared lol. Hopefully you find the video helpful

[@itsblitz4437]

I watched Undone. It was pretty good.

[@CloudKitten]

It's so very under talked about. I'll need to figure out a video essay topic for it someday so I can dedicate a video too it. But no ideas yet

[@itsblitz4437]

@@CloudKitten well good job bringing it up.

[@poeticalgore6500]

some good movies, but you forgot AMERICAN PSYCHO

[@CloudKitten]

I haven't seen it yet but I need to

[@Alexa-uk8lj]

This is THEE BEST video I seen on this topic.

[@CloudKitten]

Thank you so much for this comment! It made my day

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

7:31 She's in Jojo part 6 (and probably is a stand user), problem solved.

[@billyalarie929]

in the quote you cited by Theresa Heyd: is this to imply that the author screwed up in keeping consistent with the Why of the character's motivation? is Theresa saying the reader will look for a way to "make it make sense", in the absence of the author's ability to do so (or at the very least, if it's "not supposed to make sense" *eye roll* then doing so in a way that is satisfactory)?

[@CloudKitten]

Basically the way I took it is if it seems the narrator is unreliable purely because the author thought it would be fun, they will be annoyed. They want a "why" tied to a characters past, motivation, or personality that's explored either enough depth (or moves plot enough) to justify it. Basically the writer should have a reason for making the narrator unreliable

[@billyalarie929]

@@CloudKitten yes good. thank you. this is what i thought, but i needed maybe a bit of clarification.