Reader response to the unconventional narrative tense in different genres

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reader response to the unconventional narrative tense in different genres

AU - Tereshko, Ekaterina

AU - Koolen, Marijn

AU - Boot, Peter

AU - Viviani, Eva

PY - 2025/12/3

Y1 - 2025/12/3

N2 - This article raises the issue of the conventionality of literary genres in terms of not only thematic distinction, but also in terms of the use of basic narrative tense as a stylistic technique, and readers' reactions to breaking these genre conventions. Using narrative tense as a marker for books that deviate from genre conventions and information about online reviews of these books, we found that readers tend to write more frequently reviews of those texts in which genre conventions are violated. It should be noted that narrative tense marks such deviations within the genre, but we have also found a correlation between the tense used and a the themes covered in the book, compared to most books within the genre. For example, most nonfiction uses the present tense as the primary narrative tense, but books written in the genre using the past tense are more likely to address the theme of history. Although readers tend to react more strongly to deviations within a genre, their reactions are equally varied whether the author adheres to genre conventions or not.

AB - This article raises the issue of the conventionality of literary genres in terms of not only thematic distinction, but also in terms of the use of basic narrative tense as a stylistic technique, and readers' reactions to breaking these genre conventions. Using narrative tense as a marker for books that deviate from genre conventions and information about online reviews of these books, we found that readers tend to write more frequently reviews of those texts in which genre conventions are violated. It should be noted that narrative tense marks such deviations within the genre, but we have also found a correlation between the tense used and a the themes covered in the book, compared to most books within the genre. For example, most nonfiction uses the present tense as the primary narrative tense, but books written in the genre using the past tense are more likely to address the theme of history. Although readers tend to react more strongly to deviations within a genre, their reactions are equally varied whether the author adheres to genre conventions or not.

KW - genre conventions

KW - literary studies

KW - computational literary studies

KW - narrative tense

KW - reader response

KW - Online Book Reviews

M3 - Article

VL - 7

JO - Digital Humanities Benelux Journal

JF - Digital Humanities Benelux Journal

ER -