ENGL70041 Forms of Fiction

Weeks 4, 5, and 7 – Notes on theory reading on Focalisation/Point of View

Focalisation: The ‘vision’ from which events in a text are presented. This is, however, a
psychosomatic process, as our perception of the vision is entirely dependent on
familiarity/context. Thus, focalisation is the relation between the vision and what is truly
‘seen’/perceived. (Bal)

Focalisor: NOT the narrator. The focalisor is the point from which the elements in the story
are viewed. This can be a character/human, or an object. The focalisor has an advantage over
the other participants of the story as the reader perceives events through how the focalisor
presents them. This could, in theory, bring bias and limitation - which could potentially go
into unreliability.

Narrator: The voice that recounts the events in a story.

According to Genette, there are two different types of narrators:

Heterodiegetic Narrator: The narrator is not a character inside the story. A traditionally
omniscient narrator would fit into this category.

Homodiegetic Narrator: Character inside the story.

 Memory as a narrative act: A ‘vision’ of the past. However, memories are unreliable
and, in effect, fail to provide a framework for an act of focalisation.
 Mapping: ??
 Irradiation: ??

Character-bound Focalisation/Internal Focalisation: Focalisation that lies within a

character. Not necessarily bound to one single character, as it can shift to another. Narrator
can only see or understand what is seen or understood by one or more characters.

 Fixed (Genette): Bound to one single character. Creating a sort of ‘restriction of

field’.
 Variable focalisation (Genette): Focalisor varies.
This focalisation type can result in neutrality towards all the characters (Bal).

 Roland Barthes – Personal mode of narrative: Method to spot internal

focalisation? Possibility of rewriting the narrative section under consideration into
first person – change of grammatical pronouns – if it can be changed into first person,
i.e we are able to distinguish the hero’s real thoughts, it belongs to internal
focalisation.

Non-character-bound focalisation/non-focalised narrative: The narrator sees or

understands more than any character. e.g: An anonymous agent/The focalisor is situated
outside the fabula. In effect, creating a sort of ‘enigmatic introit’ (Genette). Sometimes
known as an omniscient narration. e.g ‘hero’ who simply performs/we are not aware of their
thoughts/feelings.

External Focalisation: Narrator can see or understand LESS than the characters, Might be
thought of as objective or impersonal. This can be a way of creating mystery or suspense.
(Bal, contradicting Genette, argues that the external narrator is the focaliser)

The Focalised Object (Bal): The perception we receive of the object is determined by the
focalisor. (Bal) claims that ‘the image of a focalisor presents of an object says something
about the focalisor itself.’

1. What does the character focalise? What is it aimed at?

2. How does it do this? With what attitude does it view things?
3. Who focalised it? Whose focalised object is it?

Levels of Focalisation (Bal): Various focalisation levels can be distinguished.

 Singular Focalisation:
 Complex Focalisation:
 Embedded Focalisation:
 1st Level Focalisation:
 2nd Level Focalisation:
 Attributive signs:

Suspense:

Alterations (Genette):
A change in focalisation, especially if isolated within a coherent context (in focalisation), can
be analysed as a momentary infraction/alteration of the focal code which predominantly
governs the text.
 Paralipsis: Giving less information - e.g in Internal focalisation – the omission of
some important action/thought of the focal hero. Most often seen in internal
focalisation. The information that is omitted is information that neither narrator nor
hero could be ignorant of, effectively creating a sense of suspense or mystery,
 Paralepsis: Excess of information – e.g in external focalisation – the sudden inroad
into the consciousness of a character in the course of a narrative. Occurs in external
focalisation when we get a glimpse of the characters’ thoughts or feelings. Occurs in
internal focalisation when we notice some idea or fact that the focalising character
could not be aware of.

Free indirect discourse: Moment where the narrator and the character’s ‘voice’ blend
together. It feels as if the character’s thoughts and perceptions are being spoken.