The Unreliable Narrator

[Dan]

I was watching a lecture on Wondrium (it used to be the Great Books series) on the topic of reading and writing short stories. The lecturer stated (or implied) in one quick sentence about H. P. Lovecraft that he was known for using an unreliable narrator.

This really struck me. Does he really?

If so, I've never noticed. I know many of his narrators worry that the world will think the narrator insane for what the narrator is about to relate, that the narrator himself ponders his sanity. But all this has the perverse effect of making me think the narrator super sane, that I can probably rely more than I normally would that what the narrator is about to relate can be thoroughly depended upon to be accurate. I mean, anyone worried about the world's opinion of their sanity is going to take extra care not to come across as lacking it. Right?

Does anyone esle think Professor J. Annie Macleod right? That Lovecraft typically uses an unreliable narrator?

[Ronald]

Dan wrote: "I was watching a lecture on Wondrium (it used to be the Great Books series) on the topic of reading and writing short stories. The lecturer stated (or implied) in one quick sentence about H. P. Lov..."

Based on what I've read of Lovecraft's fiction, Lovecraft does NOT use the unreliable narrator.

Controversial French author Michel Houellebecq wrote a study of Lovecraft's fiction, H. P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life, which I reviewed here at goodreads.

Houellebecq argues that Lovecraft aims at an objective viewpoint. Lovecraft's fiction gives dates and time of events; the longitude and latitude of places; utilizes math and the sciences. Major characters in Lovecraft's fiction are investigators into truth, such as scientists, scholars, police investigators.

I agree with Houellebecq on this.

[Dan]

I'm on your side in this Ronald, but I did find this contrasting view in support of Macleod's side: https://www.thegothiclibrary.com/goth...

[Thom]

Because a narrator fears for their sanity doesn't mean they're unaware of what is happening, but neither does it mean they're holding onto their marbles just fine, and at any point past the "oh, my, too much of this and I'll go bonkers" bit is suspect.