Theory of Narratives

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Theory of Narratives
Hermann Hesse's Hermann Hesse: A Pictorial Biography commences with Hesse's own words. The preface delves into the personal story of the author. The rest of the book displays pictorial biography of the author's personal life. It details the most critical places, people, and books that have influenced the author. The book is written to allow the reader to understand better Hesse's life and works and why he is one of the most exceptional writers. Hesse indicates, "Before long, I found myself obligated to seek the cause of my sufferings not outside but inside myself" (Hesse 14). Hence, the pictorial biography allows the reader an opportunity into the personal journey of Hesse, which demonstrates his approach to his writings. The narrative theory approach considers influential people and situations in an author's life, providing an idea into their works. Examining the pictorials offers insight into the life of Hesse and hence allows readers to understand why his work follows a particular approach that is unique to him.
Jerome Bruner in Life as Narrative demonstrates that the best way of describing life is through a narrative. While there may be other ways of describing life, "None of them succeeds in capturing the sense of a lived time" (Bruner 12). In this regard, Bruner demonstrates that narratives are powerful tools for describing moments lived in a manner that other ways cannot manage. Additionally, the author demonstrates that narrative imitates like in the same way life imitates narrative. In this case, both the narrator and the central figure on the narrative are the same in autobiographical narrations (Bruner 12). Since narratives touch on people's lives, the author indicates that narratives are critical in transmitting culture. With this in mind, readers can consider...