Don’t worry, it’s not murder.
I love a novel with an unreliable narrator. You can’t take what they say at face value, and it’s fun to try to figure out what’s really going on.
An unreliable narrator has a limited perspective. Their knowledge may be incomplete. They might be biased. Sometimes they have ulterior motives.
You know what this sounds like to me? ChatGPT. (You knew I’d connect this to AI eventually.)
Here’s why:
- They can sound trustworthy without being trustworthy.
- They present one plausible account, not necessarily the whole picture.
- They can be confident and persuasive, even when they’re totally wrong.
- You may only discover unreliability when something doesn’t fit quite right.
Also remember that AI chatbots have an ulterior motive: They’re optimized to give you a satisfying user experience. By default, they prioritize being polite, encouraging, and helpful over being factually correct and complete.
So whether you’re enjoying a novel or using an AI chatbot, ask yourself:
- Does this make sense?
- Is there anything important missing?
- Are there contradictions here?
- Is this too neat or too certain?
- Could there be another explanation?
Don’t just take ChatGPT at its word. Think critically. Fact check. Ask for sources. Use your judgment.
PS: If you like this literary device, here are a few novels with unreliable narrators that I’ve enjoyed recently:
- Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
- A Good Person by Kirsten King
- Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
And there’s the modern gold standard for the unreliable narrator, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
Any others to share?