The Man Who Talks: First-Person Narration and Self-Revelation in Travel Is So Broadening

In this first essay, we examine the voice of Travel Is So Broadening. Before we judge what Mr. Schmaltz thinks, we need to understand how he speaks. Sinclair Lewis lets a man talk — and in doing so, reveals far more about him than the man ever intends. This blog explores how first-person narration becomes the story’s sharpest instrument of exposure.…

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Macbeth Is Not About Ambition — It’s About Obsession

This first essay argues that Macbeth is not a moral lecture about ambition. It’s a psychological portrait of obsession. Shakespeare shows us a mind hijacked by prophecy — not because Macbeth is weak, but because once an idea lodges itself deep enough, it becomes fate. If we want to understand Macbeth, we have to stop asking what he wanted — and start asking what he could no longer stop wanting.…

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Unreliable Storytellers Don’t Just Mislead — They Perform in The Hand

When readers talk about unreliability in fiction, they usually mean error. The narrator misunderstands events, exaggerates details, or lacks full knowledge. Unreliability becomes a problem of perception. And, it’s usually when the narrator is in the story – first person.…

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Unreliable Narrators Don’t Just Missee — They Withhold

When readers talk about unreliable narrators, they usually mean one thing: perception. The narrator misjudges, misunderstands, or misinterprets events. His senses are flawed. His impressions are distorted. Reality leaks through at odd angles.…

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