A Narratological Investigation of Eyewitness Reporting: How a Journalistic Mission Affects Narrative Structures of the Text
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Keywords

Discourse narratology
Eyewitness reporting
Mimetic representation
Afferent narrative perspective
An illusion of simultaneity

How to Cite

Aare, C. (2018). A Narratological Investigation of Eyewitness Reporting: How a Journalistic Mission Affects Narrative Structures of the Text. Brazilian Journalism Research, 14(3), 676–699. https://doi.org/10.25200/BJR.v14n3.2018.1125

Abstract

Drawing upon the tenets of discourse narratology, this essay identifies and discusses the various narrative and rhetorical features typical of literary journalism/reportage that have evolved from the classical tradition of first-hand observation/eyewitness reporting. I point out differences in function and narrative structure when set against comparable ways of narrating in fiction as well as in autobiographies. For example, I emphasize how a mimetic (scenic) form, along with carefully scrutinized details, works partly differently in literary journalism than in realistic fiction. Furthermore, the essay highlights two consequences of a rhetorical “position of witnessing”: a special kind of external narrative perspective and an illusion of simultaneity. I argue that both ultimately depend on the idea of a journalistic mission. Initially, I explore how a definition of “literary journalism” as a separate genre could be refined with the help of narratological taxonomy.

Com base nos princípios da narratologia do discurso, este ensaio identifica e discute as várias características narrativas e retóricas típicas do jornalismo literário/reportagem que evoluíram a partir da tradição clássica de observação em primeira mão/relato de testemunhas oculares. Dou exemplos de padrões narrativos que influenciaram o jornalismo literário ao longo do século XX e até hoje, e argumento que eles diferem das estruturas encontradas em formas comparáveis de narrar na ficção, bem como nas autobiografias. Destaco quatro consequências de uma “posição de testemunho” retórica: uma perspectiva narrativa dirigida de fora para dentro e uma ilusão de simultaneidade de um repórter estando presente no local e aparentemente testemunhando e narrando ao mesmo tempo. Além disso, o ensaio explora como o realismo, em termos de forma mimética (cênica) e detalhes minuciosos, funciona de maneira diferente no jornalismo literário do que na ficção realista. Neste artigo, tento demonstrar como a narratologia pode abrir novas portas para nossa compreensão de como o jornalismo literário funciona em suas estruturas únicas e como estas, por sua vez, afetam a experiência do leitor.

Con base en los principios de la narratología del discurso, este ensayo identifica y discute las diversas características narrativas y retóricas típicas del periodismo literario/reportaje que evolucionaron a partir de la tradición clásica de observación de primera mano/relato de testigos oculares. En el siglo XX y hasta el presente, se dan ejemplos de patrones narrativos que influenciaron el periodismo literario a lo largo del siglo XX y que se diferencian de las estructuras encontradas en formas comparables de narrar en la ficción, así como en las autobiografías. Destaco cuatro consecuencias de una "posición de testimonio" retórica: una perspectiva narrativa dirigida de fuera hacia dentro y una ilusión de simultaneidad de un reportero estando presente en el lugar y aparentemente testificando y narrando al mismo tiempo. Además, el ensayo explora cómo el realismo, en términos de forma mimética (escénica) y detalles minuciosos, funciona de manera diferente en el periodismo literario que en la ficción realista. En este artículo, intento demostrar cómo la narratología puede abrir nuevas puertas para nuestra comprensión de cómo el periodismo literario funciona en sus estructuras únicas y cómo esas estructuras, a su vez, afectan la experiencia del lector.
https://doi.org/10.25200/BJR.v14n3.2018.1125
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