We interrupt this broadcast: highly reliable narrators in radio drama

Abstract

This paper presents a theory of highly reliable narration through the examples of 1930s and 1940s radio broadcasts. Compared to the unreliable narrator, which opens interpretive possibilities, the highly reliable narrator limits the conclusions that the reader/listener may arrive at. The highly reliable narrator may receive additional credibility through internal means (sharing confidences with the reader, etc) or external means (education, experience, etc).