Introspective Techniques in "Dona Barbara"

Abstract

To give reader a knowledge and understanding of psyche of fictional character has always been one of novelist's chief problems. There are many ways by which an author can inform his audience of what is occurring in mind of his character; most common, and what may be termed traditional, method has been author's statement of what his character's thoughts and emotional reactions are, often accompanied by comment and interpretation by author himself. With this method reader is always aware of presence of author telling him what he should think about character and what interpretation he should put on character's thoughts, attitudes and emotions. The author is ever present and all knowing. The result is that character is not presented directly, but indirectly; reader is left with feeling that he himself has not been allowed to observe character. One of distinguishing features of twentieth century novel is what Joseph Warren Beach refers to as the disappearance of author.' Not content with results obtained from older method, novelists began to seek new techniques by means of which reader could observe mind of character, see and hear him reveal himself without intervening, insistent presence of author-commentator. One result of this search and experimentation was stream of consciousness novel.