As I read "Fright" I am noticing that Woolrich shifts between
1st and 3rd person narration. More precisely, he primarily
wrote this novel from the 3rd person, although sometimes it
seems as though the protagonist (Prescott Marshall) is
talking about himself in the third person. Occasionally,
however, Woolrich shifts into first person narration, usually
when Marshall feels most paranoid or afraid and least in
control of his circumstances. My impression is that this
shifting serves to heighten the tension of those scenes where
Marshall is at his most vulnerable, i.e. to make them all the
more personal for both Marshall and the reader.
Since "Fright" is my first foray into the works of Woolrich,
and in light of the many comments made recently on this list
regarding Woolrich's penchant for experimentation, is this
shifting of narrative style a common technique in Woolrich's
work? Is it a fairly common technique in noir in general? Is
it always used for the same reason
(to achieve the same effect) or are there different reasons
for employing this technique? I find its use, at least by
Woolrich, fascinating and ultimately very effective.
Thanks! Harry
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