CWRI1003 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Hogwarts, Narrative Structure, Lord Voldemort
30 May 2018
School
Department
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Professor
Narrative Transformations
Explain what is meant by the ‘phatic elements’ in a text. Discuss in relation to
an example used in the lecture series.
Phatic elements are used in interactions or in text are used for the general pur-
pose of social interactions, rather than conveying information or asking specific
questions. For example, general questions such as “how are you?” or comments
about the weather can be classified as phatic elements. Stine Lomborg states
that phatic elements enhance “… a strong sense of mutual commitment, epito-
mised in phatic communication and the creation of continuous social presence
and listenership…” (Lomborg, 2011). As stated by Lee, phatic elements have the
intention to “open lines of communication between ... texts and their
readers” (Lee, 2017)
A good example as shown in the lecture is the promotional poster for the HBO se-
ries True Blood. The imagery of the pale skinned woman with lips as red as blood,
with vampire fangs suggest that the television series significantly involve vam-
pires. Blood and the colour red often connect viewers and readers with ideas of
death, vampires and blood but also passion and lust, which can be seen in the
suggestive image of the woman with her bare, pale skin and red lips.
Narrating Perspective and (Un)reliability
Discuss characteristics of the reliable narrator. Explain in relation to “The Five
Orange Pips” (Arthur Conan Doyle).
The main characteristic of a reliable narrator is what their proximity is to the
values of the implied author.However, unreliable narrator is one who’s accounts
of events are in conflict with the rest of the story. The narrator often has a large
scope of intelligence in regards to situations and characters. Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle’s short story “The Five Orange Pips” from “The Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes” Holmes’s companion Dr. John Watson presents himself as a narrator
through writing. He expresses the goings on of the story in a flowing logical man-
ner, which is a personal attribute of Watson seen throughout the story. The way
Watson presents the novel to the implied reader seemingly makes the distance
between the two smaller and the reader is able to accept more details through
the narration of Watson and the way he sees Holmes operating. Conan Doyle was
born in 1859, which attributes to his style of writing, and the way he writes the
character of Dr. Watson and his demeanour of a proper British gentleman but with
an adventurous and loyal streak which keeps him with Holmes throughout his ad-
ventures. Watsons morality as a reliable narrator is further seen when he states
that he shall recount his cases with Holmes with “absolute logical proof.” (Arthur
Conan Doyle, 1891).
