Toni Morrison’s Jazzutilizes a very unique narration style that significantly influences how the text is interpreted as well as the reader’s opinions of the characters. Throughout the first section of the novel it becomes apparent that the narration style is not constant. It seems to switch between third person omniscient and first person perspective that occasionally provides their personal input in a gossip-like manner. The anonymity and the objective manner of speaking the narrator employs, creates a sense of authority and trust with the audience. Therefore, impacting the reader’s opinions on events and characters within the text, causing them to take opinions as factual information.
The text begins with the first person narrator establishing their credibility by stating that they know the main characters, Violet and Joe personally, “I know that woman...Know her husband, too…her name is Violet” (Morrison, 3). Although the narrator is not involved in the characters’ lives, they make it clear that they are interested in the lives of others and gather their information through observation, thus creating the idea that they are knowledgeable on the subject. The narrator proceeds to demonstrate their expertise on Violet and Joe’s lives by revealing personal details and feelings about the characters. For example, the narrator states, “He fell for…a girl…spooky loves that made him so sad and happy he shot her to keep the feeling going” (Morrison, 3). By giving insight to Joe’s inner thoughts and feelings, the narrator is letting the audience know how well informed s/he is. This instant also begins to blur the line between the first person narrator and the third person omniscient narrator because the readers begin to take everything the narrator is stating as facts since they are giving details only a well-informed person would know.
Throughout most of the novel, the details and descriptions provided by the narrator are told from the perspective of a third person omniscient narrator. For example, in an instance in which Violet has a public argument when getting accused for kidnapping a baby, the narrator describes Violet’s thoughts on the event as “she thought of it…remembering the incident as an outrage to her character” (Morrison, 22). Due to the straightforward tone and credibility the narrator had established earlier in the novel, the readers take these thoughts as facts. However, the first person narrator interjects, providing biased commentary that is also taken as facts due to the subtle shift between narration styles. For example, after the public incident Violet caused, the first person narrator states, “Her private cracks…were known to him. I call them cracks because that's what they were” (Morrison, 22). Despite the fact this statement is clearly the narrator’s opinion, the audience is expected to believe their comment as fact, thus degrading Violet’s image to an unpredictable, mentally unstable woman in the eyes of the reader.
This elusive transition between narration styles is once again witnessed when the narrator is retelling Dorcas’ life story. The third person omniscient narrator describes the situations Dorcas had to face under Alice’s care and stating, “by the time she was seventeen her whole life was unbearable” (Morrison, 63). This is stated in a matter-of-fact manner, which causes the audience to understand how unhappy Dorcas was while living by her aunt’s rules. However, the first person narrator provides additional—and more personal—commentary that produces sympathy for Dorcas among the readers. The first person narrator causes the audience to feel empathy for Dorcas by expressing their own empathy for her, “and when I think about it, I know just how she felt…it doesn’t matter because you are not doing the thing worth doing which is lying down…enclosed in arms, and supported by the core of the world” (Morrison, 63). By depicting this generalizable situation and bringing up heavy emotions humans feel when being or wanting to be with another human, the narrator deepens the readers’ sympathies for Dorcas and her decision to engage in intimate relations with a married man. Although the narrator never outwardly excused Dorcas’ behavior, they did provide their opinion which instigated a deeper thought process for the audience that was more likely to guide readers toward sympathizing with Dorcas and perhaps go as far as justifying her bad decisions.
Overall, the narrator does not explicitly express a negative or positive attitude toward the story’s events. The third person omniscient point of view provides neutral details and descriptions regarding the characters and their thoughts. However, the first person point of view interjects in specific instances and provides opinionated commentary. Although the first person narration provides personal commentary, it does not openly state any biases toward any character. Instead, the commentary appears to be stated in a gossip-like manner, meaning it is said with a certain amount of judgment but it does not take any particular side. Due to this type of narration, the audience is prompted to go beyond simply understanding the novel’s events, and leads them to develop their own sympathies and biases rather than influencing them toward any specific idea.
What I really like about your post is the manner in which you demonstrate how the narrator's point of view establishes their authority and how it impacts the reader to take the text as fact. I also agree and wrote that the narrator creates an authoritative figure by knowing the character's thoughts and feelings. You also provide textual evidence that highlights the points in which there might be bias in the narrator's retelling of the story, which not only backs up your argument about the authoritative figure which is created through their use of first and third person point of view, but shows your own comprehension of the text.
ReplyDeleteIf you were to write a longer piece, I recommend including your own opinion as to who you believe the narrator is or may represent. It would also be interesting if you talked about the purpose of having the narrator's identity a mystery.
Your post really goes in-depth as to the narrator of Jazz and what sort of view they have. We can definitely see that it is someone, whoever it is, who knows a lot about the characters. I also agree that it does seem to switch between a third-person omniscient narrator and a first-person narrator.
ReplyDeleteThere aren't any problems that immediately jump out to me, but I agree with the poster above me in that if you were to write a longer post, it would be interesting to include your opinion as to who the narrator actually is. There are some points where you could almost say it is one of the characters themselves!