Unreliable narrator
noun. A narrator you can’t fully trust, because they lie, forget, manipulate, or simply don’t know what’s really going on.
What is an unreliable narrator?
An unreliable narrator is a character who is telling the story, but not necessarily telling the truth. Whether it’s deliberate (they’re hiding something), unintentional (they’re confused or biased), or somewhere in between, their version of events is skewed…and that’s the point.
This device invites the reader to question everything: what’s real, what’s missing, and why this narrator might not be giving us the whole picture.
Why use an unreliable narrator?
Because they’re fascinating. They keep readers guessing, digging, second-guessing, and totally hooked. A well-written unreliable narrator can add tension, mystery, or even dark comedy to a story. They can reflect larger themes, such as perception, trauma, or the nature of truth itself.
Used intentionally, unreliability becomes a narrative tool: what the narrator can’t or won’t say often says the most.
How do you spot one?
Sometimes it’s obvious: they admit they’re lying or confused. Other times, it’s more subtle: inconsistencies in their version of events, gaps in memory, and contradictions between what they say and what others do. The tension builds as the reader starts to realise: this narrator might not be giving us the whole truth. Or even the real story.
Famous unreliable narrators
- Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye – emotionally unreliable, cynical, and clearly not as self-aware as he thinks.
- Amy Dunne in Gone Girl – master manipulator, storyteller, and plot architect.
- The unnamed narrator in The Tell-Tale Heart – insists they’re sane…while describing a murder in detail.
- Pi Patel in Life of Pi – gives two versions of his survival story. Only one involves a tiger.
An unreliable narrator is a storyteller whose account can’t be taken at face value. They’re biased, mistaken, or hiding something, and that makes them incredibly fun (and slightly unnerving) to read. When done well, they don’t just tell the story. They reshape it.
