An Analysis on the Narrative Time of Knives Out: the Utility and Limitation of Gérard Genette’s Narrative Theory

Abstract

This paper examines the narrative effect and the genre variation which is constructed by the time of narration that transforms story order through analyzing the film, Knives Out(2019), and confirms that this strengthens the social message of the film. Especially, I analyze the narrative time focusing on the “analepsis” which indicates the earlier incidents without following the chronological orders. I use the method of Gérard Genette who had much influence on the study on film narrative as well as novel, as an theoretical tool. Genette’s concept on narrative order is very useful for analyzing the difference between story time and time of narration. However, there are some theoretical limitations from the unique characteristics of film narrative which is quite distinct from literature. Consequently, I was able to verify the following through this study. Firstly, Knives out plays a variation on the convention of detective film in the process of rearranging story order in the plot. This plays the role from which effectively draws the curiosity, suspense and surprise of audience, and clarifies the theme on the criticism against class inequality and capitalist selfishness in American society. Secondly, there are some points which get out of Genette’s narrative theory on the time throughout the film. Because a film has both visual elements and auditory elements unlike a literary text, and there are not a given reception order of audience in a frame.