Author(s)

Xiao Peng ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of English Studies, Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China

Corresponding Author

Xiao Peng

ABSTRACT

After the deconstructionism and ideology criticism prevail in Europe, the original criterion of unreliable narrative is challenged and then simply fixed by the following narratologists, such as James Phelan and Ansgar Nünning. With the discovery of covert progression, the criterion of unreliable narrative becomes more complicated, which makes readers have to make clear of whether the unreliable narrative happens in the plot development or the covert progression with the standard of visual reality or social justice. This paper will use "A Horseman in the Sky" and "Desiree's Baby" to point out the special situation of unreliable narrative, and the discussion of these two works will help readers to understand the new criterion of unreliable narrative.

KEYWORDS

Unreliable Narrative, Visual Reality, Social Justice, A Horseman in the Sky, Desiree's Baby

CITE THIS PAPER

Xiao Peng. Analysis of the Special Meaning Hidden by Unreliable Narrative in Covert Progress: In a Horseman in the Sky and Desiree's Baby. Lecture Notes on Language and Literature (2026). Vol. 9, No.1, 77-82. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/langl.2026.090111.

REFERENCES

[1] Bormann, D. (2021). And What If Overt Plot and Covert Plot Progression Are connected? Style, 55, 53-58.
[2] Han, J. (2025). Between Good and Evil: A Study of Dual Narrative Progressions in The Lottery. Studies in Linguistics and Literature, 9, 31-35. 
[3] Marsh, K. (2021). Dual Narrative Dynamics and the Critique of Privilege. Style, 55, 42-47. 
[4] Schneider, P. (2004). The Genetics and Evolution of Human Skin Color: The Case of Desiree's Baby. Journal of College Science Teaching, 34, 20-24. 
[5] Shen, D. (2017). Joint Functioning of Two Parallel Trajectories of Signification: Ambrose Bierce & A Horseman in the Sky. Style, 5, 11-17. 

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