An introduction to the theory of unreliable narration and outlines two critical approaches: the cognitivist and the rhetorical.
How to spot a liar in literature
Body language experts and polygraph tests can help us to determine when we are being deceived, but how do we know whether the narrator in a literary text is lying to us? This talk provides an introduction to the theory of unreliable narration and outlines two critical approaches: the cognitivist and the rhetorical. Using examples from Günter Grass’s 1959 novel The Tin Drum I demonstrate how we can tell when a narrator is telling tall tales and how that changes the way we read.
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St Edmund Hall’s inaugural Research Expo took place on 28 February 2015. It was a celebration of the great diversity of research currently being undertaken at the College, and was an opportunity for students and academics to interact, learn and engage with colleagues across all disciplines. The ‘Teddy Talks’, given by St Edmund Hall academics and postgraduate students, were a key part of the Expo. Aimed at a non-specialist audience and lasting around 12 minutes each, they give a quick...