The Effect of Dual Narration by Michael Frayn on the...

The Effect of Dual Narration by Michael Frayn on the Readers Understanding of the Text Michael Frayn has a unique way of writing the Novel ‘Spies’. Stephen is a character, which can relate to any reader at any perspective because Frayn has written the Novel in such a way that Frayn can expose emotions and feelings. He uses dual narration to bring out ideas and personal reflections using an adult Stephen and a younger Stephen. This dual narration is very effective, it conveys the thoughts of both adult Stephen and younger Stephen. Firstly, the novel begins (chapter one) with adult Stephen narrating the story, ‘adult’ Stephen begins by recalling a scent which he brings him about as he nostalgically†¦show more content†¦I’ve got that wrong. † This shows that Frayn has created ambiguity in the sense on leaving the reader on suspense. In contrast to the narration, the reader also has to live up to the thoughts of younger Stephen. Frayn has balanced the ambiguity as both narrations are unreliable because younger Stephen is a child and children tend to exaggerate their emotions â€Å"Mr Gort†¦ was a murderer. But then, when we investigated, we found some of the bones of his victims in the waste ground†¦Ã¢â‚¬  children like to exaggerate and this is just younger Stephen expressing his feelings about a member of the close. Moreover, when younger Stephen narrates the story, Frayn uses delayed revelation to build up suspense for the reader â€Å"avert the catastrophe, I can feel looming, though what that catastrophe might be I don’t know† this implies that Frayn is making a cataphoric reference because the reader has been told about an event which has not yet happened. Also, Stephen shows that he has matured and realises that the game they have been playing is not a game anymore â€Å"The story has changed tack, like a ship altering course† this creates an effect of age as the reader can now understand that younger Stephen is becoming a