THE NARRATEES IN W. G. SEBALD’S FICTIONS

Abstract

This article examines the narratees in W. G. Sebald’s fiction to clarify its characteristics, functions, and the ways in which it performs its narrative tasks. Based on a theoretical framework of the narratees in narratology, the study aims to identify, classify, analyze, and evaluate the narrative dynamism of the narratees in Sebald’s fiction. The research reveals that the narratees in Sebald’s fiction are numerous and diverse. Among these narratees, the narratee-character type predominates over the non-character narratee. This particular type of narratees plays a significant role in structuring and organizing the work, expanding the plot, emphasizing the themes, and reflecting the author’s views on the ethical issues of listening to narratives about traumatic memories. The findings of this study can serve as a valuable reference for scholars of Sebald’s fictions. Furthermore, these results encourage researchers to pay more attention to the narratee when exploring the art of narration in literary works.