The narrator’s voice is the way a story is told. It includes the storyteller’s or writer’s point of view, tone, language, and style. The narrator’s voice guides the listener or reader and shapes how the story is understood. In storytelling, this voice works differently in oral and written forms.
NARRATOR’S VOICE IN ORAL STORYTELLING
In oral storytelling, the narrator’s voice is the main tool. The story exists through the human voice and performance.
- Voice as Performance
The narrator uses tone, pitch, pauses, gestures, and facial expressions. The voice changes according to mood and situation.
Example:
In Kathaprasangam (Keralam), the storyteller raises the voice during dramatic moments and softens it during emotional scenes.
- Multiple Voices
One narrator uses different voice tones to represent different characters.
Example:
In Harikatha, the narrator shifts between the voices of gods, kings, and common people, often mixing narration with music.
- Direct Address to Audience
The narrator speaks directly to the audience and reacts to their responses.
Example:
In village folktales, the storyteller may ask questions, pause for laughter, or repeat lines to keep listeners engaged.
- Repetition and Rhythm
Repeated phrases help memory and add musical quality.
Example:
In oral tellings of the Panchatantra or Jataka tales, moral lines and story patterns are repeated.
In oral storytelling, the narrator’s voice is vibrant and evolving, influenced by the audience and context.
NARRATOR’S VOICE IN WRITTEN STORYTELLING
In written storytelling, the narrator’s voice is created through language and structure. It remains fixed on the page.
- Point of View
The narrator may speak in the first person (“I”) or as an outside observer (third person).
Example:
In Bama’s Karukku (autobiographical narrative), the first-person voice offers a personal, emotional account of Dalit life.
- Tone and Attitude
The narrator’s voice may be sympathetic, ironic, critical, or calm.
Example:
R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi Days (collection of Short Stories) employs a gentle, humorous narrative voice to depict small-town life.
- Cultural Language and Style
Written narrators often include regional words, idioms, and cultural references.
Example:
In Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children (novel), the narrator’s voice mixes English with Indian expressions, reflecting Indian history and identity.
In written storytelling, the narrator’s voice guides interpretation through words, not performance.
The narrator’s voice is central to all storytelling.
- Oral storytelling is performative, interactive, and flexible.
- In written storytelling, it is carefully crafted, stable, and textual.
NARRATOR’S VOICE IN STORY TELLING – MCQ
WORKS CITED
Zipes, Jack. Creative Storytelling: Building Community, Changing Lives. Routledge, 1995.
“Why Rhythm and Rhyme Matter in Storytelling.” Storyberries, www.storyberries.com/why-rhythm-and-rhyme-matter-in-storytelling.
Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan is a teacher, bilingual writer and artist with over two decades of experience in teaching English language and literature. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of English at NSS College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Her blog, ashlit.in brings together academic resources, creative writing in Malayalam and English, and visual art. The platform features lecture notes, study materials, poems, reflections, short prose, and a curated collection of her paintings. Through this space, she seeks to foster learning, creativity, and meaningful engagement with literature and the arts.
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