Narratable, Unnarratable

What is narratable is a subjective topic. "One narrator's unnarratable can very well be another's narratable" [1]. "Much fiction derives some of its force from representing what is widely considered unrepresentable and from making narratively interesting what is commonly viewed as entirely lacking in interest" [1] . These quotes point to the idea that the unnarratable are things that are uninteresting, such as the specific method one uses to brush their teeth, but it can also be something that is difficult to express. Now, it is possible that someone can turn their method of teeth brushing into an interesting commentary, taking it out of the category of the unnarratable for that author. Therefore the unarratable is not something truly definable. Anything can be made into a narrative. According to Martin Kreiswirth a narrative is “Someone telling someone else that something happened”[2]. The word "something" is specifically ambiguous because narrative is an expansive concept that is difficult to define.

Making something that is unnarratable into something narratable adds to the appeal of narratives. One of the appeals of a narrative is to convey a story to another person. However, when we tell stories that are hard to express, or bring attention to things we have never paid attention to before, then, a narrative is bringing something new to the table. It becomes special on a new level. It is easy to tell a narratable narrative, but the really interesting stories are narratives that can talk about something that is previously conceived as unnarratable.

There was a recent NPR podcast about how difficult it is for reporters to report on sex scandals because it is such a difficult and emotional topic [3]. Stories of rape balance on the edge of narratable and unnarratable. The New York Times published a news article on March 8th about an 11 year old girl who had been raped [4]. The story came off as extremely biased towards the boys accused of the crime The article quotes neighbors wondering how their “young men could have been drawn into such an act” [4]. The newspaper ordered a re-write of the story after readers complained. The NPR radio show pointed out how difficult it is to report on a rape story. There is a shame factor for the victim that is involved that often makes her story unnarratable. But when a reporter can break the unnarratable barrier and tell the truth about a story that is difficult to tell, they can hopefully make a change.

The biggest appeal of narratives is their ability to bring about change. They can make people think differently, and can call people to action.

[1] Prince, Gerald. "The Disnarrated." Style. 22.1 (1988): 1-8. Print.

[2] Kreiswirth, Martin: Merely Telling Stories? Narrative and Knowledge in the Human Sciences. Poestics Today 21:2 (Summer 2000), p. 294.

[3] "Sex Scandal Difficult to Report." NPR: WNYC, New York, 4/4/11. Radio. 6 Apr 2011.

[4] McKinley, James. "Vicious Assault Shakes Texas Town." New York Times March 8, 2011: A13. Print.