Obscure Literary Devices That Will Make You Rethink Storytelling

Ever feel like you’ve read it all before? The same old tropes and techniques rehashed over and over again? Well, prepare to have your literary horizons expanded. In this article, we’ll delve into seven obscure literary devices that renowned authors have employed to breathe new life into their storytelling. From breaking the fourth wall to crafting entire novels in a single sentence, these techniques will make you rethink what’s possible in the realm of fiction.

The Intrusive Narrator: When the Storyteller Becomes a Character

Have you ever been so engrossed in a book that you felt the narrator was truly present, guiding you through the story? That’s the essence of the intrusive narrator, a technique that blurs the line between the storyteller and the story itself. Authors like Charlotte Brontë and William Goldman have mastered this art, interjecting their own commentary, insights, and even direct addresses to the reader within the narrative.

In Jane Eyre, Brontë’s iconic novel, the narrator frequently steps out of the shadows, describing details of a room or foreshadowing events, almost as if they were an omniscient presence lingering within the story’s world. Similarly, in The Princess Bride, Goldman introduces not one but two intrusive narrators: the fictional storyteller S. Morgenstern and Goldman himself, who claims to have abridged Morgenstern’s manuscript after it was read to him as a child.

This technique shatters the traditional barriers between author, narrator, and reader, creating a unique sense of intimacy and immediacy that can be both unsettling and captivating.

The Amanuensis: When the Writer Becomes the Speaker

In an age where literacy was a privilege reserved for the elite, some of history’s most renowned authors found a ingenious solution: the amanuensis. This was essentially a scribe or typist who would transcribe the author’s words as they were spoken, allowing those who could not read or write to still share their stories with the world.

Henry James and Fyodor Dostoevsky were among the literary giants who employed amanuenses, often forming close working relationships with these “collaborators.” In Dostoevsky’s case, his typist and eventual wife, Anna Grigoryevna, played a crucial role in shaping the narratives she transcribed, acting as a sounding board and influencing the direction of the stories.

While modern technology has largely made the amanuensis obsolete, this literary device serves as a reminder of the power of oral storytelling and the collaborative nature of the writing process.

Charactonyms: When Names Become Descriptions

Have you ever encountered a character whose name seemed to perfectly encapsulate their personality or role? That’s the essence of a charactonym, a literary device where an author intentionally crafts names that reflect the character’s traits or purpose within the story.

Charles Dickens was a master of this technique, creating iconic characters like Mr. Gradgrind (a tyrannical headmaster) and Mr. Jaggers (a tenacious lawyer). While charactonyms are often associated with cartoons and children’s literature, where names like Dudley Do-Right and Snidely Whiplash leave little to the imagination, skilled authors can employ them with subtlety and nuance.

By imbuing names with deeper meaning, charactonyms can add an extra layer of depth and symbolism to a story, allowing the reader to gain insights into a character’s essence before they even utter a word.

Reverse Chronology: Unraveling Time

Imagine opening a book and being thrust into the middle of a story, only to have the narrative gradually reveal the events leading up to that point in reverse order. That’s the essence of reverse chronology, a literary device that flips the traditional linear storytelling on its head.

Authors like Martin Amis and Rebecca Makkai have employed this technique to great effect, challenging readers to piece together the puzzle of their narratives as they unfold in reverse. In Amis’s Time’s Arrow, the protagonist is introduced as an elderly man in post-war Germany, with the story tracing his life backwards until it reaches his birth. Similarly, Makkai’s The Hundred-Year House begins in 1990 and concludes in 1900, guiding the reader through a reversed series of occupant dramas within a Chicago mansion.

While reverse chronology can be disorienting at first, it also creates a unique sense of mystery and anticipation, as readers are forced to constantly reevaluate their assumptions and piece together the story’s broader narrative.

The Second Person: When the Reader Becomes the Protagonist

Have you ever been so immersed in a story that you felt like you were living it? That’s the power of the second person narrative, a literary device that directly addresses the reader as “you,” casting them as the central character in the story.

While more commonly found in short stories and interactive fiction like the Choose Your Own Adventure series, a few brave authors have attempted to sustain this technique over the course of a full-length novel. Jay McInerney’s Bright Lights, Big City is a notable example, implicating the reader in a lurid tale of debauchery and self-destruction.

When executed skillfully, the second person narrative can create a truly immersive experience, blurring the lines between fiction and reality and allowing the reader to fully inhabit the story’s world. However, it’s a delicate balance, as too much distance between the reader and the protagonist can lead to a sense of dissonance and disengagement.

Poetic Novels: When Prose Meets Poetry

While novels are typically written in prose form, a select few authors have dared to blend the worlds of poetry and fiction, crafting entire novels in verse. These “poetic novels” offer a unique reading experience, where the language itself becomes a character, and the rhythm and cadence of the words take center stage.

Lord Byron’s epic Don Juan is a prime example, with the titular womanizer’s exploits related through more than 16,000 lines of rhyming verse. In a more modern context, Karen Hesse’s 1997 novel Out of the Dust tells the story of a Dust Bowl family’s struggles in 1935 Oklahoma through a series of free-verse poems.

By embracing the poetic form, these authors challenge readers to engage with language in a more visceral and emotional way, creating a reading experience that is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.

The Book-Length Sentence: When Fiction Becomes an Endurance Test

Of all the literary devices explored in this article, perhaps none is as audacious or ambitious as the book-length sentence. As the name implies, this technique involves crafting an entire novel as a single, unbroken sentence, with no periods or chapter breaks to provide respite for the reader.

One of the most notable examples of this feat is Bohumil Hrabal’s Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age, a 1964 novel about a loquacious shoemaker that The New York Times described as “an unbroken highway of text.” Considering Hrabal’s objective, that should be considered a high compliment.

While the book-length sentence may seem like a gimmick or mere exercise in literary acrobatics, it can also serve as a powerful tool for creating a sense of momentum and immersion, forcing the reader to surrender to the relentless flow of the narrative.

Conclusion

In the vast and ever-expanding landscape of literature, it’s easy to become complacent with the familiar tropes and techniques that have dominated storytelling for generations. However, as this exploration of obscure literary devices has shown, there are still countless unexplored avenues for authors to push the boundaries of what’s possible in fiction.

From breaking the fourth wall with intrusive narrators to crafting entire novels in a single, breathless sentence, these devices remind us that storytelling is a constantly evolving art form, one that demands innovation and experimentation to keep it fresh and engaging.

So, the next time you find yourself yearning for something truly unique and unexpected in your reading experience, seek out these obscure literary gems. Who knows? You might just discover a new appreciation for the limitless possibilities of the written word.