The Power of a Good Storyteller

The Power of a Good Storyteller

Max Patel

Stories are only as great as their tellers. When the life of a cat-in-a-hat’s story is being told, one would much rather that story teller by Dr. Seuss than a paralegal. Besides imagining an intricate plot where one doesn’t exist (as he does in describing the life of a cat-in-a-hat), Dr. Seuss is famous for bringing a unique style and tone to his writing. People aren’t interested in a person-like-creature who doesn’t like green eggs and ham. They are interested in the wonky world that Dr. Suess fabricates through his rhymes and unique tone and style. Similarly, the novel Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng is told through a graceful and intentional narration. While the plot of Ng’s story is shiny enough to draw in readers, it is the way it is told that makes it stand out among others. Ng imparts a narrative that is smooth like silk, and opens its reader to the entire world within the book. She does not limit the depth or authenticity of her characters. She does this by using mechanisms. Mechanisms can be a large variety of things: literary tools such as repetition and alliteration, small subtleties in the arrangement of a paragraph, or even larger choices regarding voice and style. Mechanisms are basically arrangement-related choices that serve functions. In fact, it is a combination of mechanisms that make the writing of Dr. Seuss's storytelling different from the narration of a realistic fiction novel. If it is storytellers that determine the value of stories, and mechanisms that determine the value of storytellers, than ultimately, it is mechanisms that determine the worth of a story! The mechanisms within Ng’s narration develop her writing through creating changes in voice, and differences in descriptions and opinions when the narrator shifts between character views.

Firstly, Ng changes the voice of her narration to fit the character view it is speaking from, which not only builds character, but also offers the reader a fuller understanding of the relationships he/she has with other characters. The most powerful tool in the arsenal of Ng’s narration is the ability to travel between the minds of different characters. Within the span of a chapter, the narrator usually focuses on one or two character views while momentarily gauging the thoughts of a good few others as well. :0

This is the proficiency of the omniscient narrator. However, what is unique about Ng’s narration is that it does not simply describe the story from different points of view; it lives it. When it projects the inner workings of a character, the style of writing adjusts. It becomes as if the character in question is actually speaking to her/himself. For example, when the narration is speaking from James, the diction and style is generally fatherly and formal. This can be seen when the narrator describes James watching his reluctant son chill by the poolside, “The confident young man in his imagination dwindled to a nervous little boy: skinny, small, hunched so deeply that his chest was concave.” (88) The narrators description of Nath is complex with strong and concise diction. This matches the tone James would likely use, being the history nerd that he is. This also fits to a tee the thought process of a disappointed father.The phrase “confident young man” is commonly associated with parents and teachers in reference to  their children or students.

Confident Young Man

The imagery of James seeing Nath “dwindle to a nervous little boy” perfectly describes how a disappointed father might see his son. On the other hand, when the story is told from Hannah's point of view, sentences are abbreviated, and the diction - while staying descriptive - portrays a simple understanding. An understanding that describes her and her unconfident young self. For example, when Hannah sneaks out to the lake searching for some answers, “But the boat is gone. The city, belatedly cautious, has taken it away.” (105) The short length of the sentences describes her child-like traits: confusion and fear. The second sentence describes how she is feeling --how she quietly resents the city for waiting until after her sister’s death to withdraw the boat from the dock. Another use of Ng’s narration in terms of character growth is how she can use large, descriptive words such as “belatedly cautious” to describe Hannah’s feelings instead of shorter, more simple ones that might suit her character better. The narrator serves as a proxy between Hannah herself, and her thoughts. Imagine having a little elf who knew everything you thought, and knew how to describe you better than you ever could. This is why Hannah’s point of view can be explained so elegantly and illustratively. In addition to explaining a character's thoughts through changes in voice, the narrator also builds character through actions. Later, when James and Marilyn exit after fighting, the narrator uses describes Hannah’s shy demeanor through selective diction, “Only when everything is completely quiet does she dare to crawl out from under the tablecloth, to pick the fragments of porcelain from the puddle of soapy water.” (117) Through words like “only,” “completely,” and “dare,” Ng makes it clear that Hannah is a brittle being. Like a biscuit. Other than changing writing styles between characters, Ng also uses the differing opinions and descriptions between characters to develop themes.

Secondly, Ng uses the different identities of characters to enhance the audience's understanding of certain topics or characters --describing them in different ways and contexts. With Ng’s narration, character personalities are powerfully built and refined. Although this seems to have the sole purpose of grabbing the readers attention, it also has the secondary purpose of opening pathways for new information to be introduced.

For example, one growing theme of the story is the character Jack Wolff. Although he is a character, he is introduced by Nath as a suspicious man, “Jack had humiliated him in front of the other kids, had laughed when Nath’s mother was gone, when Nath had thought she might never come back.” (16) This foreshadows a lot of information that will likely be explained in the future: about how his mother ran away, and about Jack’s role. One thing is for certain, though. Jack is introduced as a bad guy. He is inserted to the story through the viewpoint of Nath, which is the viewpoint of a brother who just lost his sister, and is looking for answers. When Jack is next elaborated on, Nath reveals suspicions, and in response, “Jack looks Nath in the face: a flash of startled blue eyes. ‘She told you?’” (63) This makes Jack even more suspicious, and leaves the reader on the edge of their seat in suspense. The next time Jack is introduced is from James’s perspective, which brings a lot of confusion:

“A figure glided toward Nath, a sandy head broke the surface: Jack. ‘Polo,’ Jack shouted. The sound echoed off the tiled walls: Polo. Polo. Polo. Giddy with relief, Nath lunged, and Jack held still, treading water, waiting, until Nath caught his shoulder. For a moment, James saw sheer joy on his son’s face, the dark furrow of frustration wiped away… Jack himself turned to Nath and grinned. To Nath it was a taunt: Joke’s on you.” (90-91)

Although it is possible that Jack had meant to taunt Nath, it is not clear-cut, as it once felt when Nath described it. Ng utilizes this tactic of corroborating growing themes through the eyes of different characters well in developing her plot.

The narration of Ng’s piece is what makes it stand out. Ng’s Everything I Never Told You is an artwork that builds its literary value off of its awesome narration. It tells an enticing story in a fluid way. Ng uses the usual sound logic, grammar, and flowing writing that is seen in most professional novels, but has added her own unique touch. Much like Dr. Suess and his aptitude for creating a wonky feel, Celeste Ng has mastered cultivating a sad and mysterious vibe. The difference here, though, is that Ng dives further. Intent on doing more than entertaining, Ng deeply develops her characters, and uses every segment of her writing to elaborate on how a character might act or think in a given situation. In addition to developing her characters, she uses them to develop themes in the story arc. It is crazy how Ng sharpens every word to simultaneously develop characters and themes. Every aspect serves a purpose. That is true art.  In famous pieces of literature, there is usually at least one aspect that sticks out among the rest, and in this one, it is the narration. Ng uses differences in voice and changes among character viewpoints to develop characters and themes.