Some books written from “unusual perspectives,” that is, not from a human perspective, can be seen as an exercise in testing the extent of the reader’s empathy and imagination. By suspending our disbelief, we can better understand our reality.
Through removing the humanity from the narrator, we are forced to reflect further on our own internal humanity. Who do we empathise with? Who’s morals do we reject, and whose do we align with?
In Klara and the Sun, I often found myself caring more for the AI than the young girl she was assigned to support and help. It saddened me more that Klara would waste away for eternity than if her human counterpart succumbed to her illness. In some ways, we become more empathetic when the narrative is spun by a non-human character. Perhaps the characteristics of humanity we dislike most aren’t reflected back at us. This style of writing allows us to distance ourselves from our species and, as a result, are more willing to tolerate a critical lens on actions we’ve taken part in ourselves.
This narrative technique’s ability to cut to the heart of some incredibly complex issues is clear. One famous example is found in Animal Farm. In the much-quoted line, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” we see a simple and accessible exploration of the hypocrisy of governments that perpetuate inequality while claiming equal opportunity for all.
By centring animals, the writer can characterise the ruling party as lacking the ability to wield political jargon, doublespeak, or flowery language that one would expect of a realistic representation of an authoritarian government. This allows him to establish common themes of political corruption and power imbalances. We, as readers, are then encouraged to contrast these acts with those present in our governments and institutions.
Books like The Autobiography of a Flea are particularly interesting as the narrative perspective is not only a device; it also tells a story in and of itself. The flea, a parasitic insect that feeds off human blood, disapproves of the morally corrupt and sexually deviant behaviours of the characters whose story he describes. By positioning a flea as morally superior to the characters in the play, the writer frames the actions of the humans in the novel as abhorrent, the lowest of the low.
Finally, I must admit to sometimes struggling to immerse myself in novels where I feel I cannot relate strongly to the narrator. However, I would encourage everyone to pick up a book where the anthropological perspective is less central to the narrative. We could all use the opportunity to exercise our empathy or challenge our self-centredness every now and then.
“A couple of relaxed pigs” by Tambako the Jaguar is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.